Ghost Flowers
by Shannykitty
Summary: I love her, I love her so much I feel like my heart could fly out of my chest whenever I hear her voice. But it is only this, her voice, what I have to warm my heart with, it is her that has given me a new view on life, but I can't help but wonder, are you really there? There is one thing I am certain of though, thanks to you I have pledged to love and laugh until the day I die.
1. Chapter 1

I have tried romance and experimenting, but it has proven most difficult. While appreciating something good in a person is easy, finding someone amusing enough for my taste has been quite the challenge.

I have committed the mistake of approaching subjects similar to my ideal, but it dies so easily, my interest. It just takes a look of lust from them, a lack of poetry in their clumsy romantic actions; it makes me halt my efforts and run away from them, almost shaking, with the pressure on my chest and the hollow feeling in my stomach renewed.

It may be just me being bitter and conceited, but how I hate to see instinct overcome rationality, there is no love in such actions, and I am not one to share a moment just out of pure curiosity.

My temper is unsuitable for a formal relationship, yet I do not wish to have love deprived trysts, for I am at my deepest, a romantic. It would be impossible for me not to feel tainted and hurt by such things. So if none of that works, the safest thing would be to stay alone no? Most certainly, so that's what I do. But I can't help but wonder, why is it that despite it being the best solution I feel such a melancholic pain in my heart?

It has been like this ever since I have met that person, that voice, that ghost haunting our mansion's irritatingly flowery garden. Ever since I started speaking to her, my mind has been musing more and more about love, humanity, and the tragedy they seem to represent. She has made me think though, and I believe I indeed have yet to understand why I become so vexed by her ranting, perhaps it's the intonation, and perhaps I yearn for an answer to my tortured soul's pleas. I know I am deeply in love with this ghost, and I am certain I will never have this kind of connection with anyone else, so I suffer, my heart begs for the company of a being that is never there, yet always present in that damned garden.

The first time we met was during our family's annual gathering for December, they seemed to find some sort of odd pleasure into visiting the old building that our ancestors left for us in rural lands, the thing can barely stand and looks like a sad Victorian structure, it emits strange sounds when wild gusts of wind hit its walls or windows, and the electricity system never seems to be stable. But I suppose it does have a nostalgic charm to it, being so beautifully placed in the middle of a forest, surrounded by a clear and calm lake, if only I could have been left alone to enjoy these sights without the constant noise my dear relatives made. It is something to ponder on really, how can people talk so much and yet speak of nothing relevant at all.

I had escaped the family reunion for a little alone leisure time, as much as I loved my little cousins I could not stand to play babysitter, let their own parent's take care of their childish caprices and romps. By going through one of the backdoors of the mansion I arrived at the garden, so very colorful, I had always loved it and liked spending time singing or reading there, but this particular day I noticed a white rose patch of noticeable size I had never seen before. As I walked into it, a strange feeling of warmth enveloped me, it was as if I was being taken into a lover's arms after a terribly tiring day, consumed by this feeling I impulsively decided to take a nap there and rested my head on the softest patch of soil I could find.

I was already losing myself into the dreamland when a low and soft feminine voice spoke to me. "How very wonderful it is to see you here, I was starting to worry I may never see your amusing existence again" Surprisingly enough, I didn't start nor did I open my eyes, I just answered as if it was natural of me to do so. "I am hardly someone amusing, I have little entertainment to offer you, I would say I am very pleased to hear your voice again, for some reason I feel like I have done so before, but reason tells me we have yet to know each other, no?"

"Oh nonsense, you are the most charming visitor I have every year, it is only you that sings and sighs so beautifully after all!" Exclaimed the voice with a pleasant tone. "Oh and we have met, I just never dared to introduce myself, but I would consider it really unnecessary."

"I suppose such things as introductions are only part of the inflation of our never-ending ego" I replied, letting a bit of bitterness color my tone.

"Now, ego is commonly known as the selfish side of the mind, yet it must be understood that ego is the consciousness of oneself, without it there is nothing but instinct, nothing but animal existence. We seek balance and rapture, yet we mistake dullness for perfection."

"I think, therefore I am" I replied, holding back a chuckle.

"Are you? You seem quite lost and troubled dearest."

Was I? I had never asked myself that, I had only thought that my apathy was a natural consequence of me being in the middle of what adults thought as the dreaded teenage age. Regardless of how her words stirred confusion in me, I still felt peace, I could have sworn I had been resting on her lap this whole time, yet I still felt compelled to answer her, if only to listen to her beautiful voice a little more.

"There seems to be a sense to everything, a most logical order to the trifling and not so trifling matters of life. Every deviation and every dull knowledge of this world's unwritten laws has been seen, archived and reviewed way too many times. Yet I don't understand any of it, I feel so empty with all these rules, perhaps I am just too dumb and young" I explained.

"I believe," she said "that you are too astute to be satisfied with what is considered normal and pleasant in this world dear, you need to let yourself live a little more mindlessly"

"Wouldn't it be vain to just live without a reason? What's the purpose of such a thing? Is there any artistic sense to that?"

"I must ask, what is the world if not a theatre, and our lives the play?"

"Whatever do you mean?" I thought I had understood what she was trying to say but something told me I needed to ask more.

"I don't know" she said, laughing a little. "My dearest, I'm just trying to make your life more enjoyable by sharing ideas that have served to calm my own uneasiness in the past."

"Do you not ever become uneasy anymore?"

"I pledged to love and laugh until the day I die."

I had wanted to ask more, to keep listening to this beautiful voice, but my mother's call interrupted my conversation with this familiar stranger. As I opened my eyes I found myself alone, surrounded by white roses. Perplexed, I figured I had been dreaming and willed myself to go back to my family's reunion. But as I left the white rose patch and exited the garden, I couldn't help but feel she was still there, and my heart cried for her embrace.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This is my first fanfiction work and I would like to note that while I am not too horrible at it, I am not a native English speaker. Feel free to correct my spelling or phrasing should you find the need to do so. I hope you enjoy this, wrote it during a night of insomnia and heavy college-work procrastination.**


	2. Chapter 2

I was certain that what I had just experienced had been a product of my own somnolence and disregard of social tradition, but I couldn't help but feel irritated at my mother's interruption, I was having a quite pleasant exchange with the beloved voice in my head after all.

I had no time to ponder on what we had just discussed though, for my little cousins wasted no time into making me their very own personal dressing toy for the rest of the evening as soon as they saw me, effectively blocking any abstract thinking from my mind. Upon arriving home, I was more tired than I would have liked or expected to be that night, and after dragging my feet to my room, I just looked into my dressing table's mirror, groaned at the tangled mess my long teal hair had become, and flopped myself into bed right after changing out of formal wear. But this beautiful voice did not leave my thoughts for many days after; for being a production of my own mind, I had to admit that it had proven to be a very vexing conversation, it gave me something to reflect on. Unknowingly, something began to change inside me ever since that day.

We seldom visited the old mansion, so I did not really have much opportunity to make acquaintances with the voice in the garden again, which I admit filled me with a small amount of despair. What we had discussed had been so wilfully taken out there, and yet it seemed to be terribly spot on relating to my current daily thoughts. I had recently become seventeen, and while I accept that at this age one is probably overridden with disruptive hormones and self-centered ideas, it was my belief that I was a bit more mentally listless than most of my peers.

As a single child, I enjoyed my parent's attention all to myself, I was terrible at sharing and grew up as a conceited girl up until puberty. By the time I was in middle school I was sent off to a swell academy for girls in the city, where I learned what not being the center of attention meant, which led to me throwing insufferable tantrums over the phone with my parents. Thankfully they made no heed of my ranting at that time, and I started learning what being in society meant. I realized there are certain patterns of behavior one should follow in order to be accepted, and discovered the joys of being popular among my companions.

That was when my gloomy personality began to develop though. I found myself to be an excellent actress, and really stood out in the acting club, which I very much enjoyed attending, being required to have varied personalities and perform with different artistic masks, all for the sake of entertainment. I applied this to my daily life as well, I enjoyed acting like a different person according to the situation and people present at a time. It may sound weird, but I found it interesting how one could have different ways of acting and still feel natural about it, and the reactions of people to one's different personas are something that never seizes to amuse me even up to this day.

The thing is, it is then when I realized how shallow life was, how easy it was to acquire whatever you desired, at first I thought I had found a most valuable secret of life and was overjoyed at the thought of having the world at my feet, but I soon found myself growing apathetic. I willed myself to still act properly most of the time, but I grew more and more troubled as I began thinking of my living as something horribly superficial.

I figured a good solution would be to become a more virtuous person, so I strived to acquire some sort of genius of any kind, wolfing down books and engaging in varied cultural and sportive activities, which served to effectively distract me and become happier up until my entrance to high school. By then I was given the luxury to choose the school I wanted to attend and I picked the same my best friends had, if only to keep acquaintances, or to have some sort of social security I suppose. Both my parents received wonderful proposals from international business companies though, and I soon found myself changing schools almost as often and conveniently as I changed my acting.

We eventually settled down somewhere in the west, where I found myself to be liked as much as in any other place I had been before. The constant travelling I had done made people even more curious about befriending me, and I had no trouble getting accepted into popular social circles again. All of these delightful situations made me more aware of the feelings and ideas I had back in middle school though, and I found all the dandy things in life I had just lived to be dense once again. The issue now, was finding meaning to life again, I was starting to feel plastic and uninspired, the more I read, the more I engaged in art and society I tried to be, the more depression broke its way into my mind. I tried blaming it on my age, on the media and on the influences of people in my life, but I understood I had to resign and let patience be my friend, surely inspiration would find its way again.

So I became a full time actress, playing whatever role was convenient at all times, despite my lack of will, I found joy and solace in art and in the exploration of new emotions and activities. I picked up music and literature as my new sanity guardians, whenever I would feel troubled I had them at my disposal to unplug and reset my mind and heart as many times as necessary, even though a distress would always stay at the back of my head.

I admit part of me was heavily disappointed in myself. It was a ridiculous duality sometimes, the need to break out of life's order opposed to the need to fit in society, made me feel hypocritical at times, luckily I knew better than to engage in self-loathing. That's why the voice in the garden invaded my thoughts with more than just adoration for its melodic beauty, the little words she spoke broke through my carefully crafted ideals like bullets on paper, it seemed as if she had the answers I yearned for, and knew how to inject sense back into my existence. I was so enthralled by this new ideas and emotions that I did not foresee how much a mad girl I was to become in the following days.

Days had gone by quite uneventfully, and while I did not forget about my conversation with the garden's voice, I kept performing my daily activities as if my mind was not overloaded with her affirmations. Then one Friday, during the practice of a new play for school, I received a call from my mother, asking me to go straight home after I was done with club activities. It upset me slightly that I would not be able to go out with my friends, as I had already made plans for earlier that day, but I had to excuse myself anyway to attend to whatever my mother would need me for, it would have had to be important for her to call during what would still be considered school hours after all.

"Oh that is terrible, I had planned on taking you to a very special place this afternoon after hanging out with the guys" said my current study subject, or boyfriend, with a very disappointed face.

"We can always do that later, don't worry about it" I said, using a sweet tone. "I'm sure the place won't move, let us schedule it for tomorrow, yes?"

"I'm afraid it would be a little difficult" said him, accompanying his affirmation with an exasperated movement of his hands. "You see, to be honest, I doubt you would be allowed to go to such a place without an incredibly smart excuse."

"Wow, you make it sound so terribly shady, just where did you want to go?"

He nervously looked to the side for a bit. "Well, I had wanted to use hanging out with our friends as an excuse to not tell your parents where I was taking you." A somewhat smug smile presented itself on his lips as he turned to look at me and hold my hands. "We have been together for about a month now haven't we? It surely would be nice to know each other better wouldn't it? So I was thinking," he shuffled his navy blue hair a bit awkwardly "maybe you would like to visit me?"

"Visit you where darling?" I had a feeling I knew where this was going, but feigned ignorance nonetheless.

He winked at me in what I considered a stupid fashion. "Why, the place where the magic happens of course." His room.

I just stared at him, my countenance devoid of expression. As much as I found him to be very charming, he proved to be no different from any other I had dated on a curious whim before. He had joined the acting club and caught my attention by performing quite delightfully, made me think that perhaps I had found a poetic soul that would share fancy views and artistic entertainment, he was also quite good looking, so when he asked me out I accepted out of pure intrigue and amusement. But as days went by, he had shown himself as nothing but a regular popular guy, if only his affectations were entertaining when he spoke, I was already disappointed even before he had suggested sleeping with him, his proposal only making me find him absolutely uninteresting right then.

"Oh, sorry Kaito, I'm afraid I will have to decline" I said, freeing my hands from his grasp.

"Oh don't be like that! Miku you know I find you crazy gorgeous! See, you are upset now. Dearest I swear I would be most gentle with you. Besides, ask any girl I have dated before you, the ones I am still friends with will tell you, I am quite great at it you know" he added with what I found to be a sleazy smile.

"I don't want to sleep with you." I replied.

His face fell in annoyance and confusion. "Then, why even date me at all?"

"I did not know that's all there was to relationships."

"Don't be so irrational, of course not, but it is not too soon you know, sexuality is after all, an important part in a relationship. I'll fill the bed with rose petals, what do you say?" So dense.

I was trying really hard not to let annoyance slip into my tone. "Sorry, I really don't want to."

"Well okay, I understand, I can wait a little longer, you are worth that much." He said grabbing my chin and leaning in for a kiss, a kiss I did not want as I turned my head away. "Unless you mean like, never."

I did not answer and just looked at him, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty, the guy was not exactly ill intentioned but I just did not have such interests, I did reflect on what he had said earlier though, why did I even start dating him at all? I had just irresponsibly decided to entertain myself with a high-school relationship.

"I see. I'm sorry Miku, you are a really great girl, but this is something important for me, I don't think I want a relationship like that. I just hope you don't think me shallow, please understand" he said, with a bit of sadness on his eyes.

"I understand." I had to let out a sigh I had been containing before continuing. "Sorry to have made you waste your time."

He looked a bit shocked but just nodded and turned away, I looked at my phone's screen and saw it was already time for students to go home, muttered a good bye and left for my house. I was a bit disappointed in the whole situation, but as much as I was upset at him for having considered me a potential sexual entertainment thing, I was annoyed at myself as well, having jumped into yet another relationship out of boredom, possibly hurting the guy a bit. I quickly dismissed the whole situation like I did with most things in life I disliked though, couldn't be helped now, I was sure he would be alright.

I arrived home and greeted my mother with a kiss on the cheek and looked at her in expectation, surely she had something to discuss, and I had been a good girl and came home right away just as she had asked me to do, just to listen to whatever she would say.

"How was school dear?" She asked with a pleasant smile before saying anything else.

"Good, the play is coming along quite well."

"Surely they gave you the main role again right?"

"You know me" I smiled and replied, just by the book.

"Of course." She laughed a bit and continued. "Oh dear I'm sorry, I'm going to have to ask you to cancel your activities with the acting club though."

"Why is that?" I said furrowing my brows.

"We are moving yet again" she said with half a smile, half a sigh.

"Oh."

"I'm sorry, I'm sure you had settled here already, and here we are, already moving so soon."

"That's quite alright" and convenient I supposed, Kaito and I shared too many friends after all, it would have been awkward among some social groups. "Where are we moving?"

"Your father and I looked into making some investments in the countryside, where the old mansion is at. There are some really promising industries there, but the deals and administration require our presence quite a lot. So we are living in the mansion, at least that part is exciting no?" She smiled as she said all this, but then changed to a condescending tone and look. "I'm sorry, surely you will miss your friends, and your boyfriend."

"We broke up." I said, not with the accustomed sadness I would have usually acted with, my mind more concerned on taking the new information.

"Oh. I'm sorry dear" She condescendingly said.

"That's okay. The mansion you said? Is the thing not falling apart though?"

"We have already made arrangements to make it perfect for when we arrive. There is also a really nice private school there, I think you would like it, they make art of real importance, they also teach French and Italian. We already enrolled you there, but as always, you are free to find another school should that one not be of your liking"

"I see, sounds good mother. When are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow. Sorry dear, I know it's sudden, don't worry though, the place has already been remodeled, old furniture has been changed and basic electronics installed already."

"Mother, what about the garden? Please tell me you kept it as it was" I pleaded. I had become a little scared when she said the place had been remodeled, part of my acceptance of such a sudden change was the fact that _she_ was going to be there, I could just feel it, and my heart beat wildly upon this realization.

"I know it is your favorite place, it has been left untouched" she assured me.

"Great!" I smiled, genuinely. "Well then, if you'll excuse me, I'll start packing my most basic belongings then."

"Certainly dear, the rest will be taken there by a moving agency in the following days."

My mind was going crazy, it was a bit upsetting to leave the city yes, but the mere thought of hearing that voice again, of being enveloped by that warm feeling again had me absolutely overjoyed. I smiled at the recognition of my own feelings, I found them funny and silly, getting so excited over something that I had probably just dreamt. But no, it was perfectly understandable for me to be like this, it was after all, the promise of discovery, I knew my melancholy would go away upon listening to her again. I laughed at the thought of being in love with an affectation of my mind, but as I was right then, there was nothing I could find most becoming. I was sure that I would find solace in that garden, and my whole being overflowed with happiness at this knowledge.


	3. Chapter 3

The place was absolutely gorgeous, every single disruption in its architecture and distasteful unpainted wall was gone now, whatever they had done to the place had the effect of making it incredibly beautiful. New pleasant tapestries and furniture were present in our new accommodations, and I had to admit that I was overly pleased with the result of the mansion's remodeling, beauty was after all, one of the things in life I found dearest. Holding back my excitement over the opportunity to dash straight into the back garden, I held my valises tight against my legs, as if to keep myself from running. I kept a polite gait as I walked through the immense reception, attempting to make a good mental map of our new home. Without unsightly amounts of people in it, I had to take note on how enormous the place truly was.

"Your father and I decided on taking the main room for ourselves, as it is very understandable for us to do so. There are many available rooms for you, and I personally found the one on the far side of the hallway very charming, but I figured you would like to have a view to the garden you love so much, and had the center room accommodated for you, arrangements can always be made though." Said my mother as she motioned for a servant to take care of our belongings, looking at my puzzled expression she tittered a little and told me "I thought having a few maids and such things would be fitting for a place such as this one. So, what do you think Miku?"

"I figure it would go well, in a theatrical sense at least, yes. As for the place, it is charming indeed, truth be told, I had half-expected to find more of the old furniture loitering around, this looks really swell mother, it's overjoying to live in such a nice place" I replied.

"I'm glad you find it to be so," she gently said "would you like to visit the surroundings sometime around this afternoon? I heard word on a wonderful theatre you know, as well as a pretty lavish library around downtown, the sceneries around your school are quite lovely too."

"I would love to, perhaps tomorrow though, it was an overly long flight, you know?" I said, trying to sound as tired as possible. Truth was, I could not think of anything else but meeting that girl again.

"Of course dear, I understand." She said, lightly stroking my hair. "Well then, I'm sorry to leave you so soon, but I should go meet your father at our associates' office, we'll be having dinner afterwards and won't be back until late night, but my cellphone will be on at all times should you need anything. Feel free to ask the servants for whatever you require too." She started picking up documents from a small valise she had kept with her, placed them inside a swank handbag, and stuffed keys on the back compartment. "I'll see you later Miku, I love you."

I hugged her and pecked her cheek "Sure thing mother, love you too."

The instant she left, it dawned on me that I had the whole place available for my exploration, and while I had been excessively giddy about getting lost in the white rose patch a few moments ago, I felt extremely unconfident about it now. I mentally reprimanded myself for such mousy behavior, but contented myself with arranging my belongings first.

I walked up the main staircase and headed for what my mother said would be fit as my room. Upon entering it, I found everything to be delightfully decorated in oak and ivory fittings, the turquoise furnishings were somewhat uncreative, but I found them pleasant nonetheless. There was a spinet piano placed on the far left side and a Spanish guitar hanging from a holder right next to it, as well as an atril for me to make use of. A spacious closet lay with its door open to the far right side, a tall queen bed embellished by white and brown coverings stood to the left, an oak study desk placed next to it, and a window in front of it, providing a welcome view of the flowers I was so fond of. The folly idea of her being able to see and hear me from there enthralled me for a moment, but I quickly dismissed it, if only to keep my sanity.

As I started arranging my clothing inside the carpeted closet, I began pondering on how I would approach the place that had haunted my thoughts for so many days. Questions plagued my mind; should I sing a gentle song for her? Should I bring an instrument along? Would dressing up be appropriate? Perhaps a humble and quieter approach would be better. I wanted to hear her voice so badly! But my heart shyly accelerated its pulse every time I willed myself to go greet the voice I was undoubtedly enamored of. How folly the whole situation was! The urge of going inside the garden was unbearable, yet I felt absolutely terrified of doing it, I frowned at my own uneasiness, was this how being in love felt? I had never felt anything like it before.

I found that train of thought interrupted by the sound of music coming out from a distant room inside the mansion. It was somewhat unfamiliar to me, but I was sure I had heard it before. Driven by curiosity, I headed towards the sound until I arrived at what seemed to be the kitchen, from where the music sounded the loudest. I pushed the doors open to find a slender, dark-haired man dancing quite energetically with a blonde-haired girl, their steps looked absolutely boisterous but fantastic nonetheless, this was swing music I noticed.

"Oh my," I said, smiling quite entertained "what is this?"

"'Tis foxtrot darling! Come join us, Leon needs a dancing partner and Avanna refuses to join with him, always the apathetic one, that gal" said the man with a jolly laugh.

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly do it!" I almost tripped on my own feet trying to retreat, when a blonde-haired lad came up to me, offering me his hand.

"You can't possibly imply that you do not know how to, girl where have you been hiding in all this time? Swing is the thing!" he said.

"Pardon? I thought it was seldom danced around the world nowadays" I hesitantly replied.

"Oh this is a chiefly American rhythm, come I'll teach you, you'll have fun!"

"Leon you fool, you are speaking to our new mistress, show more respect!" Said a dark-haired girl sitting behind a counter.

"Oh my, you couldn't possibly be madam Hatsune would you? You are far too young to have a daughter." Said the guy, looking truly amazed.

"She is the daughter you dimwit."

"Oh yes, of course! Pardon my manners miss, allow me to introduce myself. Al, turn the music down will you?!" Said the blonde I figured was called Leon. The dark haired man turned off what seemed to be a gramophone. My curiosity was piqued as to why such a thing would be here, but I figured it had stayed even after the remodeling of the mansion. "My name is Leon, one of the servants here, I am overjoyed to make your acquaintance, you are an absolutely pretty girl miss!"

"Are you absolutely incapable of not acting like a brute Leon? Have more respect!" said the girl with an annoyed tone.

"Yes you are right, my apologies once again miss, I am at your services" he said grabbing my hand and kissing it.

"It is nice meeting you" I said pleasantly, then turned my head in the other's direction.

"Ah! My name is Alfred miss, most friends call me Big Al though, I am the head chef here." Said the dark haired man while bowing slightly. "And this lovely lady I was dancing with is Ann, my chef assistant" said him, gently laying a hand on the blonde girl's shoulder.

"I am delighted to meet you" she said.

"Likewise."

"Oh and the antipathetic gal reprimanding me so often here is Avanna" said Leon gesturing towards the dark-haired girl.

She glared at him and turned to me, changing her countenance to a gentler one. "Nice to meet you Miss Hatsune," she said smiling "do not mind Leon, he just enjoys pushing my buttons way too much."

I smiled. "That's alright, I figured out that much. Nice to meet you too Avanna. Oh, feel free to call me Miku though, all of you, Hatsune sounds so horribly formal."

"Very well Miss Miku" replied Leon. "I hope you can forgive us for taking leisure time when you are here, probably requiring some aid with something. The offer to dance with me is still up though!"

Avanna just huffed and I couldn't help but laugh along with the other three. "Yes I would like that actually" I said smiling earnestly.

"Oh is she not the loveliest thing?" exclaimed Ann suddenly rocking me in her arms.

"Indeed she is, and almost as beautiful as our old young mistress wouldn't you say?" said Al.

"Old mistress?" I furrowed my brows in confusion, I had no idea someone had lived here before us, I thought the place had been abandoned for more than fifty years already. All four of them looked troubled for a second and stopped talking and laughing altogether, before Avanna nervously broke the silence.

"Yes, the doctor did not like us speaking of her though, it is only fair we keep respectful obedience to him even after his parting."

Her explanation served only to baffle me further, but before I could ask, Al started. "Oh goodness won't you look at the hour?! It is time we prepare dinner is it not? Leon, Avanna set the table for our mistress won't you? Let us cook something exquisite for her, we want to welcome her as warmly as only we can do!"

They shuffled off in different directions before I could ask anything else, and just left me standing on my spot, disregarding the disoriented expression that had appeared on my face. I figured they would not answer to any inquiry any time soon, so I walked out of the kitchen, and still affected by the glee their amiable personalities influenced me with, I decided on visiting the flowers while they were setting things up for dinner.

Upon arriving the garden, I started feeling skittish again, but took valor and kept a light gait through the diverse colored flowers up until the white patch. My heart beat wildly, and I felt my soul bashfully howl in a contained sense of much needed healing as I approached the roses, I hadn't even prepared anything to say or sing, and I felt terribly insecure about not being worthy enough of the voice's presence. But as I entered the patch, I immediately felt wellness fall over me, I sat on the soft soil and took in my surroundings. Suddenly, I felt my breath and heart stop, if only for just a moment.

Out of nowhere, an incredibly beautiful creature appeared in front of me. An alluring girl stood smiling with infinite joy and fondness on her face. I was enraptured, her alabaster form was mesmerizing, she had long and dazzling rosy hair; a color almost as lovely as her blushing cheeks. A privileged constitution, framed by a flattering long black dress made me lose the ability of speech, even inside my own head. But it was her dear face what was most enthralling, a gentle countenance of delicate features was facing me, lush pink lips stretched in a gracious smile, a graceful nose, and the most angelic light blue eyes staring right into my own turquoise ones with an almost spiritual magnetism. I was in the presence of the embodiment of love and beauty, that was certain, I felt tears of joy at the brim of my eyes, it was her, I was convinced of it.

"You are back" She whispered, her sweet, sultry low voice impaired my language, oh goodness, how I wished I could have died right there and keep the memory of her as my last before the afterlife. "Oh you came back! I thought I would have to wait so long to see you again, my soul is overflowing with felicity, oh my most darling, and your eyes are the most divine thing I have ever beheld! You truly are the most beautiful thing upon this world, let me hold you, I beg you, I can't stand this distance, I had missed you so terribly."

I had lost all sense of speaking and in lieu of replying I flung myself at her arms, I was so completely captivated by this woman, I silently cried inside this divine being's embrace. I had wanted to tell her I loved her, that I would adore her forever, I did not care about who she was or the context of our meeting, I just knew I had found what I had been missing all my life.

"Dearest," she said while still holding me "you'll sing for me won't you? I've been longing for it for so long."

"Yes." I finally replied, stifling my sobs. "Yes, every day, I will."


	4. Chapter 4

Oh I had found my goddess, my muse! This celestial mirage before me, this heavenly appearance, this benefaction bestowed upon me from good heavens had me at the mercy of her perfection, there was something so infinitely breathtaking about her, so undeniably pure, I felt my ego humble at her presence, love overwhelmed my senses and clouded everything else undividedly. It baffled me how someone so heavenly would care for my presence, even less enjoy it, but the expression of elation on her face kept me sheepishly content to be in her society. After a moment of selfish indulgence on my part, I finally dared to part slightly from our embrace to look into her eyes, light blue seas stared back with tenderness, oceans undoubtedly as deep as the yearning I had to become lost in them.

"Please," she said with a pleading smile "sing for me, if only just a little."

I nodded slightly, finding that even though I had felt coy about it before, holding her stare gave me enough inspiration to sing for eons if I had to. I kept her gaze as I started intonating an anthem of love, as beautifully and impeccably as I could, I was a bird chirping in adoration, chanting for love, love for a cherished one. She would tighten her hold on me whenever I would sing higher notes, intone lighthearted vibratos, and play whimsical falsettos, all in an effort to make myself worthy of her heeding. The adoration in her eyes melted away my reasoning, I felt that I required her hold even more, for I was sure to lose my footing otherwise.

The rhythm of my heart's beating demanded action and protested against my finishing this aria, but be it the breathlessness inspired by this woman, or the strain produced by my arduous efforts, I found myself in the need of doing so, taking a fervent gasp at the end of the melody.

"Thank you" she breathed as her eyes glistened, and held me tight against herself again, much to my delight. Three winks later she completely released me though, my whole being protesting against it, and she took a content breath before graciously sitting on a nearby trunk, leaving some space for me to accompany her, which I wholeheartedly did. I wanted to say so much, to tell her so many things that I had not even thought of yet, but any voice and language processing skills inside my brain proved unresponsive. Furthermore, I wanted to at the very least hold her hand, sadly sheepishness was invading me again. She spoke before I could panic though, and I found myself at bliss again.

"That was most captivating, I was truly enchanted. Darling, how is it that you can entrance me so? Just when I thought I couldn't find you any more alluring."

"It is only you that compels me to sing for such a purpose" I answered, possibly utilizing all the words available for use in my barely recovered recognition of a vocabulary.

"Oh, you are too charming" she said, subtly intertwining her left hand's fingers with my right's. She took a long look at my certainly dazed countenance, and slightly held our hands up. "Are you still troubled dear?"

"Not around you, no" I answered earnestly.

She smiled lightly and directed her gaze at our conjoined hands "I understand."

"What is your name?" I asked, almost pleadingly.

"Luka, Megurine Luka" she looked back up at me "what is yours?"

"Miku, Hatsune Miku" Forever yours and adoring.

"Lovely, just like you."

"Not as gorgeous and graceful as you."

She laughed slightly "I always believed you would be very pleasant, but I'm truthful, you are the loveliest ever" she passed a hand through my bangs delicately and leaned slightly to stare more closely into my eyes "I won't be convinced of the contrary no matter how little I see you."

I held my breath, overwhelmed by the proximity, and strained my brain to formulate words again. "Luka, I just moved here, I'll be staying in the mansion, up in the room with a window facing here, see?" I blurted out, growing bashful as I pointed towards my room's window. "Oh I beg of you, would you kindly let me visit you often?"

She looked surprised for a second, before a beautiful smile parted her pink lips. "Yes! As often as you wish, I entreat you. There is nothing that would make me any happier."

I impulsively embraced her again, smiling, and she corresponded ardently. Both of us wearing a happy expression, she let me transiently rest on her lap, as I suddenly felt myself becoming incredibly weary, entertaining herself with locks of my hair. She woke me as the sun was setting though, and sent me to dinner after assuring to meet again the next day, parting warmly.

Going inside the manor I found myself violently dragged into reality again, but the promise of a rendezvous tomorrow kept me joyful. I washed my hands at a lavatory and sighed blissfully at my own reflection in the mirror, this was the aspect of a truly happy girl I told myself, I had never been one to pray much but I thanked every deity I knew for the existence of Luka, she was what I unknowingly had always been looking for, nothing was ever more logical and absolute.

I headed towards the dining room feeling rather hungry at last, and found a young blonde servant-boy ready to aid me at the table.

"Miss, food is ready, would you like to dine now?" he said.

"Oh… Yes thank you," I paused still a little dazed from before, my gears turning at the prospect of dining "what is your name?"

"Oliver miss, at your service."

"A pleasure to meet you Oliver" I said, as courteously as I could. "You can call me Menu, I mean Miku! I don't like formalities too much."

He smiled a little amusedly "A pleasure meeting you too Miku, I'll bring your dinner right away, please have a seat" he said, politely pulling a chair for me to sit on and leaving for the kitchen.

After a few minutes he came back carrying a skillfully cooked breaded chicken breast and chambray potatoes dish, and set it in front of me before bringing some cranberry juice to accompany it. I thanked him and started eating with delight.

"This was absolutely delicious Oliver, you'll have to give Al my compliments" I said after finishing.

"Al miss?" he asked, looking confused.

"Yes, the head chef."

"Oh, I have yet to meet him I think."

"Ah I see, well I'll thank him later personally." I thought perhaps he was too young and new to know all of the staff working at the mansion.

After thanking him for his service and asking him to commend the others for their hard work that day, I headed to my room and changed into sleepwear after brushing my teeth and washing my face. I decided on going to bed early, for I was going to start classes at my new school the next day, and I wanted to start off leaving a good impression on the first day.

As I lay on my bed, I couldn't help recalling my encounter with Luka and felt my lips stretch into a sleepy smile, I would finally feel complete, her sole presence kindled hope inside me, I had felt lost for so long and she had appeared as a beacon of light to guide me and recondition my soul. With that thought in mind, I tightly held a pillow against myself and contently fell asleep.

The next morning, I had my mother's chauffeur drive me to the institute I was to attend before taking her elsewhere, she and I sat next to each other at the backseat, chatting lightly. The uniform I was wearing looked fancier than any other I had worn before, it had a classic style nonetheless; a brown checkered skirt, a white button-up shirt, black knee-length socks and shoes, and a beige blazer embroidered with the institute's emblem combined elegantly. I had no idea on what fabric was used, but it felt a bit more luxurious than in other uniforms I had tried.

"I assure you the place will be of your liking Miku, I could describe it further but I would like you to see it for yourself. Ah, we'll be there shortly." Said my mother.

"Sounds good" I said, looking through the window. After passing a bridge, a magnificent and behemothic building soon came into view, surrounded by vast meadows, I could glimpse at some sport courts visible from the sides of the construction surrounded by tall, adorned metal bars. Our chauffeur stopped in front of the main gates, and I realized this was to be my new school.

"Good luck on your first day dear" said my mother, smiling and ruffling my hair lightly.

I wished my mother good luck as well and stepped out of the car, heading towards the entrance to gather some information on where I should go and what I would be doing during that school year. The reception was as lavish as the outside suggested, well-kept baroque furniture and art complimented the marvelous interiors, and the wooden flooring glistened cleanly. I approached the receptionist and gave her my name to receive a schedule and instructions, and headed towards the classroom I had been assigned to. On my way there I noticed several club posters on an advertising board, I was sure to join the theatre troupe later on, perhaps I'd join the choir as well, I wanted to improve my singing for Luka after all.

Before I could get lost in that thought, I arrived at my classroom and knocked slightly on the door, a stout and dark haired man attended and raised an inquisitive eyebrow at my presence.

"Ah, my deepest apologies for interrupting your lesson sir, my name is Hatsune Miku, I have just recently transferred here and been assigned to this class" I said, bowing lightly.

"Ah yes, I was informed of your arrival, come in Hatsune, introduce yourself to the class and take a seat" he answered.

I did as he indicated, receiving a few curious stares from my classmates, while others seemed truly uninterested. I sat next to a light blue eyed and rosy-silver haired girl that waved at me amiably.

"Hatsune, you are of Asian descent are you not?" she asked in a quite pleasant tone.

"Yes, my father is Japanese, my mom is French though" I answered, politely shaking the hand she offered.

"Ah just like me then! Dad's Japanese, and Mom's American though. Nice to meet you, my name is Akasaka Aria, you may call me IA though."

"Nice to meet you too, you may call me Miku as well."

"Would you like a tour around school later on Miku? I'll introduce you to some of my friends as well, they'll be thrilled to meet you, we don't get transfer students that often, and you seem to have travelled so much! Lily will go crazy about you, you'll like her, she is a senior."

"I'd be honored IA" I said, smiling at the girls friendliness.

After taking our first period of class, I let IA guide me through the main places in the institute, trying to make a mental map of important things such as the cafeteria, offices, clubrooms, and library. The place was truly enormous for being located in the countryside, but I figured it would be normal for such a high-class academy. After a good 20 minutes of tour, we returned to the cafeteria where IA's friends greeted us cheerfully.

"Gee IA where had you been? We waited for you for far too long, grew hungry and went ahead without you though." said a tall, blonde haired girl. "Oh, who is this?" she asked, looking at me.

"This is Hatsune Miku, she is in my class, she just transferred here." Said IA "Miku, remember I told you about Lily? This is her" she motioned towards the blue eyed blonde.

"Masuda Lily, nice to meet you Hatsune," she smiled "you are half Japanese too aren't you? That makes five of us."

"Nice to meet you too Masuda, you can just call me Miku though" I said, bowing slightly.

She chuckled a bit. "How very formal, you can call me Lily too"

They both introduced me to the rest of their friends, a brown-haired and tan guy named Bruno, a curly blonde-haired girl called SeeU, a silver-haired girl called Maika, and two blonde-haired twins named Rin and Len who happened to be of Japanese descent as well. We chatted idly about irrelevant things for the rest of the break, and I felt I had been accepted inside their social circle already. On our way back to our classrooms, IA gaped intently at a black haired boy across the hallway and sighed enamored.

"Isn't he most gorgeous?" she asked.

"Got your eyes on a new one already huh?" asked Lily "Honestly, I can't take your crushes seriously anymore IA."

"Oh but I am in love!"

"So she says…"

"You like him IA?" I asked "Why don't you approach him?"

"Oh I will, I'm just waiting for the perfect moment" she said, smiling bashfully.

"Don't let her fool you, she is an incorrigible player, she had another guy in her clutches last week" said Lily.

"And another girl three weeks before that one" said Bruno, chuckling slightly.

"I loved them all though!" protested IA.

"I find that really hard to believe dear," said Lily "you can barely call those flings relationships."

"You wouldn't be so shallow as to think that you have to be in a relationship to love someone would you?" said IA, with a dignified air. "What do you say Miku?"

"I think I agree with you, love is something too extraordinary to try and make it fit within any rules" I said smiling gently, remembering the undeniable love I felt for a certain girl I had really just met.

"Oh lord, now there's two of them!" exclaimed Lily with fake dread, then she smiled. "Oh well that's alright, I still like you both."

The rest of the day went by uneventfully, and after bidding farewell to my new friends, I had our family's chauffeur drive me back home. The place had been pretty swell and the people amiable enough, so I decided I liked my new school, the next day I would apply for clubs of my choice and judge their artistic focus.

Upon arriving home I couldn't wait to meet Luka again any longer, but I had the sensibility to not throw my schoolbag and sprint towards the garden like a maniac; and I moved as collectedly as I could, gently leaving my bag inside my room, walking towards the garden as naturally as the excitement affecting my body would let me.

Finally finding myself among the white roses, I immediately felt content and closed my eyes, inhaling the pure scent.

"Dearest, ah yes it is you!" I opened my eyes and found a beautiful angel standing before me.

"Luka" I whispered, letting joy overflow inside my soul as she cupped my cheeks, her delicate alabaster fingers caressing me lightly.

"I'm glad you are here" she said fondly.

"Coming here and being with you is the greatest joy I have in life."

"Oh nonsense dear, I'm hardly that entertaining" she answered with a light and charming giggle.

"No Luka, I am sincere, nothing has ever made more sense. Meeting you makes my soul unbroken, I feel there is order inside my head again."

"Order?" She laughed "Oh love, I think you must be terribly tired, saying such things. Come, won't you rest on my lap again, there are few things more lovely than your slumbering face."

I complied to her request wholeheartedly right away, there was nothing I craved more than her touch. Looking at her gentle expression I felt compelled to ask about what she had stated though. "Dear, what did you mean by that?" I asked a bit dazed.

"Oh, you see, when you sleep you look absolutely at peace, completely untroubled, and I get to play with your beautiful hair ever so lightly. But when you are awake, you sing, you speak, you look at me with such intensity, such sprightliness, I don't think anything can quite compare to how wonderful that is" she stated, staring deeply into my eyes.

"Ah, I don't know what to say" I paused, blushing. "You are to me the most precious thing Luka, I'm really earnest when I say you have brought me joy, you have no idea how much. Truly, I don't feel so lost anymore." I held one of her hands, feeling the need to compliment her. "That is not what I meant to ask though" I said, before she could disagree again.

"Oh," She blinked confusedly "What did you want to know then?"

"About order, do you disregard it?"

"Ah, not quite" she answered, smiling while stroking my hair lovingly. "It's just that it may seem order is what keeps humanity organized, gives it a raison d'etre if you may, and keeps madness at bay, never sailing too deep into the average human mind. But it is not so, at least not for me. I have come to believe that order, by itself, like order within the universe, is more of a lawless thing. Nature needs to be chaotic to work efficiently"

I confusedly stared at her, feeling completely disoriented. She laughed mildly. "Allow me to elaborate on the insanity of those words. Order, as we know it, suggests stillness, perfection, morality and beauty. But how can something make your ego fill with joy if it doesn't move, doesn't change, or at the very least challenge your intellect?" she explained.

"Ah, I understand" I finally said, her ideas seemed somewhat turbulent, but they clicked inside my head coherently somehow. I smiled amusedly. "Then you would have to be my chaos, the one I have been needing for so long."

She laughed lightly. "Oh you flatter me too much."

We lingered like that for a while, indulging into each other's presence. Every word she spoke had a ring of undeniable truth, and I was willing to follow her philosophy minutely, it did occur to me that I was letting myself be too easily influenced, but the feeling of sheer joy inside my being took any doubtful thoughts away. Surrounded by pure white roses, being held by my darling, this had become my utopia, my nirvana, had it been a fairyland I would have gladly let myself be captured inside, forever befuddled and elated.


	5. Chapter 5

Days went by affably, I joined both the theatre and choir clubs at the institute, and managed to make several acquaintances. It proved just as easy as before to fit in society here, not that it really bothered or appeased me, such things had long been a routine in my life, and the clubs demonstrated competent, if not outstanding, with several proficient participants. The most marvelous thing was though, that I had now found a direction, or at the very least an inspiration; having Luka kept my unruly thoughts mitigated, she would offer fascinating points of view on life's gimmicks, and she would enthrall me with her beauty.

I had never felt any more alive, or any younger, even more so than in past years, life brimmed with joy, and days seemed to shine more winsomely. I pondered if this was what being a '_retarded teenager' _meant, and if that was the case, I would gladly accept the unflattering term on behalf of my bliss and amusement. Being alive was truly delightful.

"Every stage of life has its particular exaltation, and while these characteristics are always present during one's life, it is to be noted that during youth, your virtue is beauty, and you are to make use of it and spread it as elegantly or childishly as possible" Had said Luka, when I confessed the satisfaction I felt. "Adulthood is a period of glorious proactivity, your opinions will matter and the actions you perform will have an impact on our society's standards and possibilities. And elders have the blessing of wisdom, it would be folly to imply all of them are wise, but it is true that experience provides a better insight on life's matters, you can find no better advisor than a grandparent I'd say, and you can be sure that they take joy into watching the young heed their words, for they have not the charm or strength to act upon their own intelligence anymore."

It always amused me how she would speak so eloquently and confidently, and I listened intently every time. Aside from being the object of my adoration, I considered her to be a mentor of some sort, what she would say, I would apply to my own life, finding this philosophy to unalterably improve it. It would occur though, that every once in a while I would repeatedly feel the need to unplug, the philosophical enlightenment often contrasted reality, the ideas too utopic outside that dreamworld. This affected what I thought to be my down to earth personality, and I would not rarely sigh melancholically, becoming slightly more uncaring about the social façade I would always sport.

My new friends had no real way of noticing this though, and they proved to be an amiable and reliable bunch. IA would attend theatre with me, while Lily participated in the choir as well, both being more than apt at their tasks. It was indeed a fact that IA was truly a casual romantic, a week after I had met her, she started dating the boy she had been so enamored of. Two weeks later she was meeting a girl two years our senior, and so on. I really liked her ideology though, her viewpoints were full of charming affectations, and it always proved enjoyable to converse with her. Lily was more of a commonsensical person, but that was far from boring, she had a remarkable sensibility and would display a very caring and entertaining personality. Much like Luka, she shared the belief of jest and wit to be the base of all ethic and reasoning in life, which showed in her behavior.

"So I offered her to close her eyes while I brought something special," said IA one day, commenting on her romance with a girl she had just barely met "now you see, she loves birds, so I paper-crafted a few for her, and wrote parts of a poem on their wings. Oh, you should have seen her expression when I gave them to her!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"How very corny IA," laughed Lily "but that was very sweet, I'll give it to you. I'm sure you blew her off her feet with that."

"Well, I am in love. Look, I still shake in passion, just by remembering the lovely face she made" gasped IA holding up an obviously fake-trembling hand.

"You are insane" said my blonde haired friend jokingly, as we giggled at IA's mannerisms.

"You too will be in love one day, and I too will make fun of your goofy romanticisms Lily," said IA "just you wait, it'll happen I tell you. In fact, I'm curious you girls, do you have anyone you like right now?"

"I do" I said, smiling bashfully.

"Oh goodness! Do we know him? Does he know you? Have you talked? How is he? As of now, I will support you two to get together!" said IA excitedly.

"Breathe woman, breathe, you asked her too many questions. You get overly excited about romance don't you?" chuckled Lily. "Although I'm curious too, what do you answer Miku?"

"Well, no, yes, yes, and absolutely perfect." I answered, smiling softly, hoping I had remembered the order of the questions correctly. "It is not a guy though, also thanks for the offer, but really, I'm okay"

"Do tell us though, what do you know about her so far?" inquired Lily.

"Uh…" They both stared at me intently, as I realized I didn't really know anything about Luka, I had been just getting carried away with emotion, and hadn't asked the most obvious things, it was unforgivable, but I was just so enamored, logic had evaded me all the while being around her. "Her name is Luka, and she is the most beautiful thing I have ever beheld" I said gently.

"And?" asked IA.

"And… that's it really" I answered, surely disappointing her.

"Wait, you still don't know anything about her? That's unacceptable Miku!" she reprimanded me. "As your mentor in love, I task you to ask for information!"

"Uh…"

"I'll have to agree with IA on this one Miku," said Lily "you should find out more about her. How are we going to help you get her to fall for you otherwise?" she smiled.

"How indeed?!" exclaimed IA.

I laughed a little. "That's alright really, thank you guys. You are right though, I should ask more about her soon" I said.

"You better!" said IA, as the cafeteria's clock made a melodious sound, signalizing the end of our break.

Their words dawned heavily on me later on though, it was ridiculous, I claimed to be in love with her, but I knew absolutely nothing about Luka. Using the indulgence in sweet moments we had as an excuse didn't seem very logical either, I was being absolutely unreasonable and selfish, keeping her as a part of my fairytale, not inquiring anything about the real her. It was inexcusable, and I truly wanted to get closer to her, so I decided I would ask her more about herself next time I saw her.

With that mindset, that very same day, as I was visiting that flowery paradise, I remembered to make an inquiry to know more about my beloved.

"Say Luka, where do you come from?" I asked, interrupting a comfortable silence that had followed yet another lecture from her.

"I…don't know," she answered hesitantly "but it's not as complicated as you may think, there is a story behind that"

"Oh, if it is not too rude for me to ask, would you tell me that story?" I had to admit that her answer took me by surprise, and I felt the need to inquire further.

"Well, certainly, I don't mind too much" she sat straighter and gazed forward as people often do when remembering something. "I have no real knowledge on where me or my brother were born, all I remember is that we only had each other as we were homeless children. Neither of us knew anything about our origins, we just had our names, and that is a curious thing actually, they are so similar, his name was Luki, and he was a few years older than me, although I never knew how many" she said, smiling fondly at the memory.

"You have a brother? He must be a very handsome lad, inasmuch as you are astonishingly beautiful" I said, being obviously incapable to stop giving her compliments.

She tittered a little. "Yes, he was very handsome, or he would have been, we were too young when he died after all."

As she said this, I regretted having spoken so imprudently right away. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"No, do not worry about that, he is at peace now. It was a hard life," she continued "we would often find ourselves in the need of stealing and begging for food, the streets truly are not a gentle place for children. It must have been especially hard for him, taking into account that he had to take care of me since I was probably not of much help, being so little." At this she seemed remorseful, I held one of her hands gently to show some reassurance.

"It was not your fault."

"Yes, thank you… I know that." She stood silent for a few seconds, then she continued. "I had been so scared, the thought of being alone terrified me. One day he collapsed right before me, he would always save more food for me, and I think starvation finally killed him. I cried uncontrollably over his still form, he was the only anchor to hope I had, and without him, I was sure to follow after soon. Both his death and this realization were too much for such a young girl, and I could do nothing but bawl."

"Oh Luka" I held her tightly against myself, it was unthinkable that such a sweet girl would have had to live through something so terrible. She returned my hug gently, and slowly separated from me, caressing my cheek softly.

"I'm okay" she said, looking into my eyes tenderly. "It was then when doctor Megurine took me in," she explained "he found me crying over my brother's body, and getting out of his car, he stooped over me, soothingly comforting me. I was only six I think, he took me with him afterwards, vowing to take care of me and give my brother a proper burial. He was a very gentle man, slender and good looking, he was married to a gorgeous French woman, with whom he had raised a son." She took one of my hands, gingerly playing with my fingers. "He took me inside the mansion, adopted me, and let me bear his last name. I think I was quite disliked by his family though, they never seemed to take well to the fact that he had impulsively picked up a waif, and while they were never too horrible to me, they certainly did not act with fondness towards me."

"Such a thing is inconceivable! It is impossible to feel anything but adoration for someone like you!" I exclaimed, truly indignant.

She looked amusedly at me and chuckled lightly. "Well it is not like they mistreated me too badly, they were just indifferent and avoided me as often as possible. Anyway, my brother did receive a proper ceremony, doctor Megurine accompanied me as I bid my farewells to him, and had me taken under his wing soon after. I lived in this mansion since then, he truly was too kind to me, had me schooled and pampered like his own child, I grew up well-fed and happy under his protection and the care of the household's servants, many of which I befriended."

It certainly was a story worthy of a fairytale character such as herself, but something told me there was more to what she had told. Feeling bold, I dared to ask. "And dear, how did you end up here?"

She winced at what surely was not a very pleasant memory. "I'm not really sure, I was just trying to escape."

"Escape? From what or from whom?"

"Doctor Megurine…" she replied sadly.

"The doctor... Why?" I asked, bewildered.

She sighed and closed her eyes. "During that time, war broke out, and while he was required to stay here to attend to his duties as a doctor, his son had come to an age to be asked to serve his country. Still a boy, and just as slender as his father, he was killed very quickly; the doctor's wife couldn't bear it, so she took her own life soon after she was told. It was horribly tragic, and it destroyed the doctor, I stood by his side during all the ceremonies, and while his kindness stayed intact, I could tell he had lost an important anchor to sanity with the loss of his family." She slowly opened her eyes and continued. "He became even more affectionate towards me though, it seemed excessive sometimes; I think he regarded me as the only remnant of his family, and he had me treated as such. I should have been happy, but as I turned twenty years old, his attentions started unnerving me, he would sometimes act like a man courting a woman would, and as I regarded him my father, I could not find any of it enticing."

My eyes grew in fear at the thought of this man forcing himself on my beloved, and she noticed this. She relaxed her countenance and grabbed my face between her hands reassuringly. "He never hurt me," she said "but he did become terribly jealous of any man that would approach me, he became wary of even Leon, although considering the way he acts, that could have been understandable…"

"You know Leon? I met him, Avanna, Al and Ann the first day I arrived."

"Oh yes, we are good friends. I know the other three too, they are incredibly attentive, are they not?" she smiled, releasing my face.

"They are all great, very jolly too."

"Indeed. Anyway, the doctor became a bit forceful as well, he would openly claim to love me and pledged to always protect me, and while he would say that he would never dare force me to do anything, he would be desperate and extremely angry when I wouldn't return his attentions." Her face looked impassive, but I knew she was probably choosing her words carefully, as if to make the story less appalling, and to keep the memory she had of him respectful. "It kept scaling up to the point where he would practically lock me up inside the mansion to keep me from the world. It eventually became unbearable, and one day, finding myself incapable of going anywhere outside apart from the back garden, I dropped on my knees in this place, crying in despair. I stared at these roses, so simple, so beautiful, and so lovely and free, I earnestly prayed that I could be like them, that I could root myself to this place and never worry about anything, or answer to anyone or anything but beauty. And before I could become aware of it, I had my wish granted, I've been here since then."

It was fantastic, tragic and beautiful. Luka definitely was the heroine of a fairytale, no wonder she would be so poetical and whimsical sometimes. The '_since then_' part bothered me though, had she not stated that she had been watching me for years now? Ever since I started discontinuously visiting this place, ever since I was quite younger. She interpreted the befuddlement in my face for a different question though.

"You must be wondering, what is there that I could have possibly eaten or done here right? Well I can't really tell myself, truth is, I have never required food or sleep anymore ever since then." She looked slightly amused and confused at her own statement, and smiled afterwards. "You must also be thinking it would be boring to be here for so long, but you see, even if I do not need sleep, I find that I can slumber for long periods of time if I so wish to. Being here has also allowed me to think a lot, analyze things and understand them better as I find the need to. I must say though, the highlight of being here has been your presence."

I blushed at her statement. "Oh, you must actually be bored then, to find me so fascinating. I would only read and sing here before after all"

"And that is one of most beautiful things in life I have ever had the delight to witness" she said, charming me with her smile. "I have always enjoyed your presence, from the very first time I saw you up until now, I would eagerly await for your return"

From the first time! That was an overly long time. "Luka… for how long have you been here?" I asked.

"I…don't know" she answered. "A while I guess, the lapses of time from when I saw you and when I didn't were long after all, or they felt terribly long I'd dare say" she said, smiling alluringly. "How long has it been since the first time you came here?"

_Years_, it has been years since then, the thought crossed my mind but I dared not say it out loud.


	6. Chapter 6

There was something undeniably preternatural about what I had learned from Luka, but I loved her too much to care. Some things are just too hard to understand, too difficult to grasp, so we just decide not to think about them. There were so many discrepancies in her story, any rational person would have found them odd right away, but I was in denial of reasoning, she was the most beautiful and perfect thing in my life after all.

That night, after reluctantly parting from my beloved, I visited the kitchen on impulse, most certainly to avoid dwelling in the preoccupations logic wanted to present. I found Leon gazing intently at the gramophone I had seen before, looking as if he wanted to figure something out.

"Leon" I greeted him.

He jumped a little at the sound of my voice, and bringing a hand to his chest, he smiled with ease. "Miss Miku, what a delight to see you! What brings you here?"

"Nothing really… I just wanted to get some distraction and started wandering around, I guess." I replied, quickly dismissing the argumentations the barely present analytical part of me wanted to implant into my thoughts. "Is something wrong with that gramophone?"

"Ah I'm not really sure, no matter what I try, it just won't play, I think I'm missing something."

I looked at the artifact and noticed it had no power source but a small lever. "Perhaps," I said, grabbing it and turning it "it just needs some winding."

"Of course! Wow, I am so dumb." He said, smiling goofily and playing the very same music I had heard the first time we had met. "Thank you, how could I ever repay you?"

"Hmm, I'll take you up on the other day's offer, would you teach me how to dance that?"

His face brightened up amusedly, nodding, he took my hand and started teaching me. While seemingly clumsy on other things, he was a very proficient dancer and teacher, and I found myself challenged very quickly, the dance being a little more complex to learn than I had imagined. The rhythm was contagious and jolly, this foxtrot was something both exhausting and enjoyable, its unruly movements served to effectively distract me until I became too fatigued to continue.

"Don't worry, you just need a little bit more practice" he said, chuckling at my disappointed expression.

"Indeed, I think that's enough for tonight though, thank you Leon" I smiled, sitting on a nearby wooden chair.

"Anytime, I hope it did help you get some distraction."

"It did."

We stood silent for a moment, panting slightly. I remembered Luka mentioning Leon and thought about sharing my meeting her with him.

"Leon, you too know Luka don't you?" I asked.

His friendly expression faltered slightly, looking aghast that I would have mentioned her. He quickly composed himself smiling again and answered though. "Oh yes, Al, Ann, and Avanna know her too. I'd dare say we are friends, she is a very agreeable girl, really good looking too"

"Indeed she is" I said, feeling warm at the recollection of her existence.

"Yeah, how did you uh… when did you meet?"

"Last December I suppose, I only heard her voice then though. We didn't formally meet until I moved here."

"Ah! So you met here?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes, at the back garden, in fact I always find her there whenever I visit it."

"I see." He stood in a reflective silence for a few seconds, then turned to me. "Oh, did she mention me?"

"Yes, she said the doctor became jealous of your friendship once."

"She told you about that?!" He looked a bit panicked at what I had said.

"Yeah, and no offense Leon but considering how hmm… courteous you are all the time, I can totally see that happening" I said, tittering a little.

"Ah…" he looked incredibly confused but relaxed at the sound of my giggling. "Well, can't really help it around such lovely ladies can I?" he retorted, grinning again.

"Oh you flatterer" I laughed a little at his cheekiness.

"So… how have you found everything so far?" He asked, quickly changing subjects.

"I believe this is my favorite place so far" I replied happily. It truly was, considering the latest occurrences and the people I had met.

"I'm glad."

We kept talking about irrelevant things until he had to leave to help prepare for dinner, and after I dined myself, I headed to my room, thankfully too tired to think about anything before falling asleep.

The next day, IA wasted no time in assaulting me with questions about my adored Luka. How she concluded that I had gathered more information right away puzzled me, but I figured I would tell her a little about what I had learned, carefully hiding some things, out of respect for my beloved of course. She seemed satisfied with what I shared and days went by with her unreasonably teasing me about my crush and giving me romantic advice, which I did not really disregard, on a daily basis. Thankfully, Lily didn't join in the teasing, and she just expressed support whenever the topic would come out.

Every moment I spent with Luka, the more I became entranced, sometimes she would be silent as I sang and read for her, allowing me to admire her calm beauty; and sometimes she would be fascinatingly articulate, expressing both beautiful words and wise ideas. It was also charming how she would ask the simplest things, with earnest interest.

One day as I was enjoying a blissful moment, resting on her lap, my cellphone rang with a call from my mother, as I spoke to her, Luka stared at the gadget questioningly. When the call finished, I had to go back inside the mansion, but before that, my darling looked at me curiously.

"What is this device?" she asked, looking like a kitten that had just found a tiny swaying object to play with. "I had never see anything like it before."

It was odd that she hadn't, but I explained its functions to her nonetheless. "Well this is a cellphone, a smartphone actually; with it you can get calls and texts anywhere and at any time. It has other uses too, see? It has a camera here, you can also add applications…" I explained what I deemed a very simple concept, but I almost couldn't keep myself from giggling at the look of entire concentration Luka had. The expression of utter confusion on her face was adorable, although I could have sworn that I heard something short-circuit inside her head. "I'll show you how it works if you wish."

She beamed at me and excitedly agreed, her full focus on me. I showed her how the phone worked, its functions, and how you could access most of any information you wished on the internet. She was so amazed by this, I lent her my phone until we would meet again. When I saw her again, she impressed me.

"Oh this was marvelous, I found information on incredibly fascinating scientific discoveries!" she said. Facts about energy, mass, time, biology, philosophy, and whatnot were relentlessly thrown at me, far too quickly for me to digest them properly. "And I found this info on fractal mathematics as well, very useful by the way, and all for free! What a wonderful invention this smartphone is." It truly was, and I had to reflect on all the time I spent watching cat videos on such invention.

It was beyond me how she could have found any of those things interesting, or how she could have spent so much time learning so many things, but I was glad she enjoyed it, she seemed horribly mortified about the phone's battery having died though.

"Do not worry about it," I reassured her "I'll just have to charge it again, it is not broken. I'm glad you found it entertaining."

She suddenly grabbed my hands and stared at me intently, concern written on her face. "I worry about you though, darling is it not dangerous for you to have such a powerful tool in your possession?"

I had to keep myself from giggling again, and I boldly dared caress her cheek lovingly, the feeling of her delicate skin almost distracting enough to keep me from answering. "No dear, nowadays almost everyone has one of these, in fact mine is pretty standard, I've seen fancier ones." At this she sighed in true relief and held one of her hands against the one I had on her cheek, tenderly nuzzling into it, immediately melting my heart.

"Sorry, I just know so little about these things, hopefully I don't strike you as dumb" she said.

"Oh heavens no! You just had not seen them before, and trust me, you have given it a far better use in one day than I have in almost a year of owning it."

She sheepishly smiled at me, and as I admired her expression an idea struck me. "Oh you know, I can't really let you keep my phone, my mother wouldn't appreciate it. But I can give you a tablet, I have one stored somewhere and I rarely use it, the screen is bigger and it will be more comfortable for you to use I believe. Ah, I also have this thingamabob a friend once gave me, it uses solar panels and charges gadgets, that way, you could use the tablet almost completely to your heart's content!"

The look of disorientation on her face was the most lovable thing ever.

I kept visiting her, both my heart and soul relinquished anxieties and inundated with sheer peace and optimism, while my whole being overflowed with love and elation. The ideas Luka shared, plagued my mind, they idyllically filled my soul, but they made the "real world" even more unbearable, it was hard not to become upset at the comparison between my flowery nirvana and the non-magical, vulgar reality. Consumed by adoration, I was incredibly happy, but began to care less and less about the world outside my fairytale.

Lily noticed my listlessness and worried over me, like a good friend would. After a while of annoying inquiry from her part, I decided I didn't care about pretenses anymore and told her all about Luka and both my previous and present affectations, trusting also that she would be understanding. To my surprise she believed me, all of it.

"Wow, it truly is an utopic romance Miku" she said.

"Yes, and you see it is her ideas that have made me feel alive again, but they are also the reason of why I am so apathetic." I said "It truly amazes me that for someone who seems to know so little about the world, she can design this wonderful theories and philosophies."

"Well the thing is, you and I could never do that, our life is just too comfortable, and very secure. It is people that have truly faced hardships, the ones who can get a real view on the world, really judge it for what it is and not on selfish meditations. To know how to live in the wilderness life really is, that allows true musing and wisdom."

It was true, and even though I had kept from telling about Luka's past thoroughly, it seemed like Lily could tell she had suffered, and what she stated was undeniably accurate I realized.

"Yes, you are right," I answered "perhaps I'm letting myself be manipulated by idealism."

"It is people like you and me that become so terribly idealistic, we have everything at our disposal, and by facing no difficulties we become overly analytic of everything, living self-centered, our minds become our reality; the thing is that with this, we acquire a lot of facts but miss way too many answers" she explained, somewhat melancholically.

"People of many ideas and little action huh?" the idea bothered me, but I reckoned it was appropriate.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing, such as long as something doesn't hurt others, I don't see the harm in it, the issue is how easy it is to become mad, depressed or superficial." Interrupted IA, who had seemingly been listening behind us all along. "You guys are terrible, leaving without me"

"I thought you were staying for extra theatre duties today, you mentioned something like that yesterday" said Lily, impassive at her appearance.

"Oh, I hurried so I could hang out with you guys, not that you were kind enough to wait at least five minutes for me though."

"IA," I interrupted, still pensive about what Lily what said "what do you think of what I told Lily?"

She made a thinking gesture, and looked into my eyes with a seriousness uncharacteristic of her. "It is good that she is so emotional and down to earth, she helps you become more balanced, helps you appreciate the more terrenal things in life outside of an objective spectrum. But I fear your idealism is far too dangerous in this situation, you are too enthralled by her strong emotions and convictions, it is almost as if you were addicted, and it is a bit troubling to think that you are becoming oddly uninterested in reality and obsessed over a reverie."

"A reverie? Are you calling me mad now?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows slightly offended.

"No, of course not. But… maybe she is?"

"…I beg your pardon?" I knew IA had no ill intentions by stating this, but I couldn't help feeling angry at any negative remark made against the one I loved the most. And even so, could she be mad? Did I care? Certainly not.

"No never mind… but," she looked with earnest worry at me "Miku I'm afraid I have to ask this already, I've been holding it for far too long, thinking it would be the best thing to do for your sake. But is it not weird that Luka doesn't know anything about the modern world? That you can only see her in that garden? That she doesn't know stuff even about herself? It feels kind of strange, even preternatural I'll tell you."

As much as it irritated me to admit it, I realized she was right and there was a lot that didn't fit in the whole situation, I had just been so enamored of Luka, I was willing to overlook the most logical things. Both my friends were justifiably concerned about me, and I managed to thank them for that, despite my reluctance to accept the facts. Thinking they were right, and that I had to stop playing my folly fantasy, I decided on investigating the matter further with Leon and the other guys back at the mansion.

All four of them proved to be very evasive on answering my questions, and I had to start formulating ideas of my own, it was odd but I had the feeling that something not quite natural was going on. "Perhaps they are vampires, or ghosts, something like that. What? You never know" IA had jokingly said, and I started to think maybe she was not so far off. There were many inconsistencies, the war Luka had stated for example; as far as I knew there hadn't been one in over 50 years. The same thing happened with the music my servant friends seemed to love so much, and that connection did not escape me. A dreadful conjecture was forming in my mind, and as much as my heart fearfully cried for retreat, my rational mind demanded answers.

I managed to chat with Leon about other matters, and decided to take advantage of our leisurely taken chat to subtly get some information.

"So, where do you come from Leon? I asked.

"Oh I'm from here, my parents were from London though" he said.

"That explains a lot" I smiled. "You sure dance foxtrot really well, you grew up with it didn't you?"

"Yes! I did, and I have always loved it and practiced it, ever since I was young"

Here I decided to start planting the question, taking advantage of his somewhat lackadaisical nature. "I'm surprised they allowed young boys into ballrooms."

"Well, I had my charm and connections, you know."

"Really? How old are you Leon?"

"Twenty-three, and very handsome" he said, winking.

I chuckled a little. "Oh, I see. What's your date of birth?"

"Ah you don't believe me do you? It's the January fifteenth, I was born in 1927"

Dread burned inside me, but I made use of my polished acting skills and kept composure. "I see, and what year are we in Leon?"

He looked around nervously and found a calendar to check the date on. "Why, 2014 of course" he smiled. I silently stared at him very seriously, and his face fell, realizing what he had just said. He just stared at me, waiting for me to say something though. I carefully steeled my nerves and found my voice again.

"Then, you are certainly not twenty-three… Leon. I have an idea of what is going on, and please stop trying to hide it, just tell me the truth will you? What are you? What is going on?" I asked, my voice starting to sound slightly panicked at the end.

He sighed in resignation. "I suppose you would have eventually found out, the whole situation is very weird, how could you not. I was just hoping something else would happen, I don't know, that you would move again or something" he stared intently at me. "I know you have already figured this out, but we are already dead."

"All of you." I affirmed, not asked.

"I'd… say so, yes" A feeling of despair came over me, he couldn't possibly mean Luka right? Even though the pieces did fit. The idea terrified me, I forced myself to act collectedly though.

"Then… why are you still here? Won't you carry over to the other side or something?" They were aware of their condition, and they didn't seem to have any grudges or pending matters, so I did not understand why they would choose to stay in such a dire existence.

"We can do that but, you see, our loyalty keeps us here."

The implications of his words hit me like cold water. "Luka…"

"We can sense her here, we have done so for years. We really like her, and we don't know why she isn't aware of the situation as well, we figured it out after a while of not being hungry, having to sleep or satisfy any need really. We don't know what keeps her, but we want to help her carry on as well, she is after all, very precious to us too."

"I… don't understand" Even though I did, I was in denial, and while Leon knew this too he was kind enough to not call me out on it.

"Come, I'll show you."

He led me through some hallways and we reached the far end room my mother had intended me to use at first.

"Pull the wall clock's handle" he said. I did as he ordered and found that I could push the lock to a side, revealing a small passageway into god knew where. Interacting with objects raised a simple question in my aghast mind.

"Leon how can you move things? If you are not…if you…"

"It's a skill you learn after a long time being like this, it is incredibly challenging, living things react way more easily though" he said. "Come let's get in."

As we entered the place, I could sense a smell of burnt objects inside the room we reached, I held my cellphone as a lamp to help me improve my vision in the dark, revealing several charred pieces of furniture and undistinguishable things.

"You see, here is where we died, we had been meeting here to conduct searches of Miss Luka when she disappeared, to no avail. Eventually doctor Megurine went mad with pain, and one day he asked us if we did not miss Luka. We told him that it was our greatest wish to join her as soon as possible. '_Mine too' _he said, smiling sadly. And with that, he closed the door, threw oil around the room and burned us all to death dropping a single match."

His voice seemed to me unnaturally devoid of emotion right then, and as I was hearing the story I perceived something strange in the ashes and burnt furniture around the room. I screamed in horror as I saw what clearly were human bones, miraculously uncharred on a corner.

"Leon! Take me out of here, this is too horrible, I can't!" I wanted to grab his arm but found that my hand would only go through him, just like a ghost. I screamed, holding myself.

"Calm down! Calm down! I'm still here!" he said, consciously putting a hand on my shoulder so that I could feel it.

"No! You are not! None of you are, oh why can I even see you?" I was sobbing soon after saying this, and held him as he would materialize just enough for me to do so.

"I don't know… Come, let's get you out of here."

I numbly let him guide me out, and soon after, the horror I had felt was a much more insignificant emotion compared to the sorrow I felt. Did this mean Luka was a ghostly existence as well?


	7. Chapter 7

How is one to react to the loss of a loved one? For that is what I felt, a heartbreak so terrible it was mighty close to the ache produced by the departure of someone you cherish. It is overwhelming to think about death, to think you have fallen in love with an immaterial existence, a dreamlike entity, a dead girl. I felt like in my search for answers, I received the promise of grief.

I parted with Leon as soon as we closed the entrance to that accursed nightmare, and wordlessly left to my room. The charming view of the garden I had from my window did nothing but distress me, it was like a finger firmly placed against the gun's trigger, ready to shoot out my anguish, and if I didn't close the curtains I would lose the consolation awarded from the daze the shock had left me. Still, anesthetized as I felt, my mind wouldn't stop spinning, endless wails fighting their way through the numbness.

I sat on my bed, head down, like a French muguet, as doubts assaulted me unremittingly. These phantom servants seemed to be aware of their predicament, and it was sheer devotion what kept them grounded here. So what exactly kept my adored rose planted in this plane? Did she too know she was in an anomalous circumstance? If so, why would she choose to charm a frail earthling such as myself? Why even haunt the garden at all?

Surely she would not be so cruel as to bewilder a heart already as disabled as mine. Presences as beautiful as hers are meant for either benevolent or tragic purposes, shallow as it was to think that way, I knew it was the upmost truth, it anguished me that her purpose would be the latter though. This time, both heart and reason demanded answers, but it was the frame that held them, what kept me from obtaining them. The emotions and information captured, drained my energy, and exhaustion retained me from seeking my beloved. Protestingly, and yet obliged, my eyes closed, and I felt the loss of numb awareness as nightfall informed the loss of sunlight.

Daybreak brought a consciousness so authentic and distressing, I refrained from truly waking until the chirping of birds became intolerable. The legitimate acceptance of what I had witnessed settled under my perception of reality, bringing forth the urgency to behold my beloved's visage, to speak to her and ascertain the truth, have it enunciated from her very rose lips. Although I skipped brunch, I still had the sense to dress appropriately enough to meet her, so much as my psychological self would allow. Purposely avoiding contact with any of the staff, I headed directly towards our flowery arcadia in a completely automated state.

Was my intellect in the need of reasoning, or my heart crying out for a disregard of facts and indulgence in ignorance, I did not know, yet I was aware that any of those would be attained by going there. I entered the herbal heaven with a careful gait, my existence a blank slate, ready to be painted by emotion and information. And as always, she was there, alluring and gentle, regarding my form lovingly. I became awfully aware of the bewitching effect she had over me, how easily maneuvered my beliefs were under her presence. Like a true heartbroken birdbrain, I brushed knowledge aside, and threw myself at her arms in a necessitous fashion.

"Dearest, is something wrong?" the concern in her voice was evident as she compassionately returned my desperate embrace. I placed the bridge of my nose against her shoulder, resting my forehead on her neck, eyes tightly closed, breathing dejectedly.

"I just…missed you so terribly" I replied, nourishing an unmindful rejection of last night's events.

She kindly lifted my face up and gazed attentively into my distressed and enthralled eyes, deeply analyzing the emotions hidden under cerulean mists. My gaze followed a triangle pattern formed by her eyes and lips, peering into endless enchanting oceans, staring at lush rosy petals, back into azure skies, back to her enticing mouth. How had I fallen so decidedly in love? I felt the need of a loving touch between our lips.

"I wished," she said, interrupting the likelihood of indulgence from my part "I could see what overwhelms you and eradicate its existence. When you hush your beautiful voice like this, I can't do anything but try to figure out what oppresses you, and it anguishes me that I'm unable of lifting that from your shoulders."

"Oh Luka, I need nothing but your presence to be serene, with you, I feel at bliss, even in overbearing circumstances" I replied, fully exposing my adoration "besides… I am fine, life has always been good to me."

Even though worry still showed through her eyes, she adopted a gentler expression, understanding I was purposely avoiding to talk about what troubled me. She granted me a slight smile and smoothly kissed my forehead, holding me tightly afterwards as I rested my eyelashes against her neck, her pleasant fragrance mesmerizing me. Oh how I strained myself to be mindless.

"Still, I am curious." She said "I wonder what kind of world has the grace of having you breathe its air."

I looked up confusedly. "Dearest, if you are so curious, why don't you go out with me somewhere else? You know, outside this flowers"

"But Miku, for me, there is only this garden." She stated, and I quickly realized how much of an awful question I had made. "There is nothing beyond here, I have tried reaching its outer limits, but it just seems to be infinite."

Whether she was wistful or resentful about that, her tone did not reveal anything. But oh my heart could not take it! As much as it filled me with dread, I felt the need to tell Luka the truth. She seemed so unjustly unaware of everything, it would have been heartless to keep reality to myself. I did not want to lose her, but I loved her too much to let her be forever misguided. Because I loved her, I minutely revealed what I was aware of since the previous night. I held both her hands, and taking a deep painful breath, I disclosed the story I had learned.

All the horror from last night's events invaded me again, the rational part of me was grateful for expressing what it had known for so long already, and the emotional part that had so stubbornly denied everything declared dismay, but nothing compared to the panic and fear I felt when she shakily removed her hands from my light grasp. Appalled was an understatement to describe her state, it seemed like it all came back to her, and her face turned sorrowful.

After a long tortuous silence she finally faced me and spoke, her countenance a breaking mask of detachment. "You should not have to concern yourself with this Miku" she said.

Sensing the fake dispassion, I apprehensively extended my hand towards her own, hesitantly trying to form words. Her mask broke completely at the sight of my weakness, and she heartbrokenly stopped me.

"Ah, stay away." She shakily said. Unshed tears welling, sobs stifled, yet unable to cry, my face was nothing but the expression of someone drowning in her own sea of lamentation. "Miku… I love you, but I am nothing but a ghost!"

"N-no…" Was it normal to hear the sound of crashing glass inside my chest? "No! Don't say what I think you will."

"I love you, I love you so much my chest hurts just thinking about it, it's a pressure beneath my ribcage, right on my heart. You are my muse, my beautiful solace against this isolation, a light shining bright against long and dark periods of stillness… I want to hold you, to kiss you, press our hearts together and rest my tired head on your lap on occasion."

It was a love confession, one I would have accepted wholeheartedly and elatedly harmonize with. But a painful howl at the back of my mind knew this was not the promise of romance but the misfortune of farewell.

"Luka I-"

"But I don't want that for you, I don't want you to have me. I lack the ability of being with you constantly and affectionately every day. I am an unnatural existence wishing for romance, that's cruel isn't it? How very conceited have I become, I almost feel ashamed…" I wanted to say I'd love her nonetheless, that I'd die for her if needed be, but she would have none of my replies. "I know what you are thinking, oh I can see it in your dear eyes. I want nothing but wonderful things for you, I'd revel in your happiness and work hard for your smile, but I can't! I wish for someone worthy to take you and make your life perfect, I will not approve of anyone less than perfect… I want you to be happy, have a lover you deserve, the wealth you deserve, and your dreams fulfilled, but by God, please do not include me in them."

It was like being embraced by a rose, a beautiful, fragile, and romantic action, but her words were nothing but thorns relentlessly stabbing my heart. Tears cascaded down my cheeks as I realized the full meaning of her words, she was pushing me away.

"So I don't want you, I won't taint you, hurt you, love you, break you, love you…" her words hurt even more, knowing she was doing it for love, suffering for my sake.

I sobbed. "You are leaving me."

"I must move on, and so must you."

"I'll be alone again… I can't ask you to stay here for my own selfish sake, but without you…without you I'll die!"

"You won't," she closed the distance and lovingly held my face, she was crying too but a gentle smile graced her lips "I'll watch you, always and yet very inconsistently so. You captivate me, that's why I love you so, I wish to be able to relish in the sight of you forever, never tainting it with my own presence. For all that matters, I love you, very obsessively so… So please continue being you and advancing towards whichever your path is. My dear muse, my love."

It was a promise and a plea so solemn, I could do nothing but stare back into her heavenly eyes.

"Even if I die, remember to forget me, but not what I have said" she finished.

A logical sense in me reprimanded me for having ignored it for so long. The affliction I felt was the product of my own wilful delusion, the truth was that from our very first meeting, I had always known I was forcefully playing a fairytale. And this tale, like many others, although being perceived as an endearing one at first, held a real development far darker than the one formerly thought of.

With a last kiss to my forehead, an angel expelled me out of paradise.

I was not dense enough to not realize what her voice entreated. She had an infatuation as mighty as mine, and in her love she was imploring me to be happy, she wanted an orderly life for me, and I knew that she had acquired such a resolve regarding this, that there was nothing I could claim to escape her pushing me away. The misery she had felt was undoubtedly far greater than mine, and in her compassionate existence there was a trace of kindness to be considered. She was making my wellness her first concern. As much as I had craved to return her love in an accustomed way, I knew that the only manifestation of love plausible for me was to respect and consent to her wishes, even though it promised to break my soul into pieces.

I did not see my ghost servants anymore, so I assumed they had met an agreement to move on, even though it was to be admitted that for a long period I could not will myself to go out of my room, much less remove the drapery so mercifully blocking the view from my window. I held on to her promise, and I endeavored to find solace in that assurance, but as much as I wished to show her a winsome side of me, even forcing dejection out of character, I could be nothing but forlorn.

With my friends' highly valued aid, I ventured to experiment life's "normalcy". Persuading my mournful innermost self of a recognition that life was as she had said, a theatre. I employed my acting proficiency to its full extent. My heart was as hollow as my lungs, and I used that to laugh more vehemently, making humorism a somber alleviating remedy. After many weeks of grief and stupor, I took it upon myself to at the very least make my beloved smile, keenly believing she would be watching. Like this, I had a remembrance of the logic behind my love for acting.

Indeed, being an actress was my dream job, it was certainly not a matter of fame or wealth, but a very appealing opportunity to impersonate any card from the deck I wished, taking the game as liability, one for which I would never be rewarded, but one that would anesthetize emotion at the very least, assuring my observers' gratification, lest the fun might find its finale, a circumstance I could not withstand.

It was in this state that I discovered a love for humanity, its flaws and virtues made it the beautiful thing it is. Finding my play flawless, I felt empathy towards the pitiful lives of those who knew not the meaning of human passion, even though some things I could not consider humane, as I felt disdain towards the creatures that committed such actions. And as much as it was a charade, I aimed to love my fellow misfortunate peers, regardless of their awareness of life's unending heartbreak or not.

Disappointingly enough, as I would accompany IA on several romantic rendezvous in the shape of double dates or casual flirting with strangers, I would find myself unable to present an agreeable representation of courtship, ultimately deciding my falsified inspiration would have to be reduced to frivolous altruism, disconnecting my heart from social interaction, as there was nothing that could fill its hollow. I exerted this pretense, all for the sake of my beloved's metaphysical contentment.

Yet the truth was irrefutable, for all that mattered, I felt alone.

I ignored time as its passing represented nothing anymore, if my love was ethereal, earthly matters were of no importance. Still, I was aware of it, for many events spoke of its progress, my mother had announced the anticipation of a brother for me and her pelvis had grown accordingly, the end of my school year was annunciated, and just like that, the next family reunion for December was approaching.

I developed a half love half hatred for roses, oh how they reminded me of her, their petals and thorns retelling my own suffering, yet I would often regard them adoringly by my front yard, for I dared not even glimpse at the back garden. During one of these occurrences, a queer man illustrated my state of mind quite perfectly.

One late afternoon, as I stared at the roses with a longing expression, I remarked the presence of a man I had not met before, lanky and impulsively handsome, yet with an air of dignified commitment, he treated the roses from the other side of the lawn with great care and gentleness. I observed him until he noticed my stare and rose form his bent position a bit agitatedly.

"Miss?" he asked, a soothing and low voice verbalizing attention.

"Good evening" I wearily replied.

"Good evening to you too. Oh, we have not met before have we?"

"No we have not, have you recently been employed here?"

"Ah no, not really. I take care of your garden miss." He was polite, yet not overly friendly like people nowadays tended to be, and I appreciated that.

"I see, you do your job well."

"Thank you miss."

A small thought crossed my mind, and as much as I despised the feeling, with the remembrance of my lost paradise I felt pain aggregate inside me. Before I could suffocate inside that hollow emotion, I forced myself to establish a somewhat cordial conversation.

"Oh, do you supervise all of our plants?" I asked.

"Most of them."

"Ah but that back garden-"

"I am not allowed in there" he said, interrupting the restriction I was about to establish.

"Ah…"

I must have had a forlorn expression, for he changed his countenance to a more sociable one.

"Miss, pardon my boldness, but I can't help but notice you are under some sort of adversity, perhaps an affair of the heart" he expressed.

"I think, an affair of the soul would be a more proper way of describing it." I said, oddly feeling the need to express my woes to this nameless gardener. "It is silly really, I try so hard to mask it all, to use deception against myself and accept it as a casualty of life. But no matter how hard I try, the emptiness never recedes."

"Ah yes, I know the feeling all too well," he said, compelling me to listen more attentively "young miss the thing is, you can't force deception against yourself. Denying a powerful love goes against the very nature of the human heart. I can't offer you consolation for your woes, but I must entreat you to accept them as a part of your life, fake composure will drive you into madness."

"How can you tell?" I resentfully whispered, his words were nothing but absolute truth.

"It happens to the best of us. And miss, you look like some who has abandoned all zest, no offense."

I found his remark rude, but accurate nonetheless. "How am I to yawn at the sky, to lift my head up, when there is no star illuminating my path?"

"I see. You are a sunflower who has lost its sun."

I sighed and stooping down to caress a flower's petals, I whispered back "No, I am a sun who has lost its flower."

* * *

><p><strong>In case anyone was wondering, a "muguet" is a cute little flower that bends downwards, unlike most flowers that stay upright. The French give it to their significant others on May 1st, completely unrelated to labor day though lol. They say something like "Je porte bonheur" if I recall correctly.<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

Having already turned eighteen years old, it was expected of me to know what I wanted to do with my life, professionally speaking. Under the awareness that I had no palpable life to declare, I decided to choose, quite predictably, acting as a career, and I was to attend a prestigious arts academy overseas shortly after December. While I was certain that my deadened buoyancy had not passed unnoted, it was clear that it was easier to overlook it, for other's sake and for my own, and both my friends and family had the cordiality to commend me for any competence I would convey regarding intellectual, athletic, or cultural activities.

Oh my love, would you be watching? Were you pleased? Was it conceivable for me to express an adequate façade to concede the accomplishment of the ideal you pictured for me? I dearly hoped so, for if I was not to be happy, you at the very least should be, regardless of the cruel and whimsical echoes of emotion inside the hollow of my heart.

Detached from admissible teenage histrionic behavior, neglecting the nourishing of other inner emotions apart from a willful misery, I forced comfort in automated exertion for perfection, achievements used as wispy clouds against bitter rays from a melancholic artificial sunlight. Everyone was so proud, whether proud of me or proud of having the extravagance of calling themselves my acquaintance was unimportant. The thing is, thanks to a mechanized management, they fancied me one of genius. In reality, I was nothing but a pseudointellectual, wounded lover.

"Let yourself live more mindlessly." She had uttered those words so nonchalantly, yet so wisely. Even in the instance of a halfhearted acceptance of her absence, I held dear every oration I had received from her. But it was so hard, so utterly impossible, I was living mindlessly on the outside, still I was nothing but an array of hushed wails on the inside. It was to be expected that in this stifled grief, I would have presented delirious displays, and I most definitely did, infinitely replaying her soft tone in my mind, caressing rose petals as if they were her enchanting cheeks, and serenading my love's arias whenever I could not shoulder a passionate restraint, but I hushed the outer expression of such torment at the society of others.

Doubts and answers unimportant now, time passed by swiftly, I closed my eyes and when I opened them again, I was in the middle of yet another December family gathering. In the company of a recognizable congregation, I felt our house much smaller, but I dared not exit towards the only place without stifling air I knew, no, I would divert thoughts towards observation and coexistence instead. Sadly, endless chatter and children's antics proved incredibly annoying, as usual.

Recognizing my miserable mood perhaps, Yuki, a little cousin of mine, approached me and switched my attention to herself, lightly tugging at my dress.

"Yuki, hey" I said, pathetically attempting to mirror the childish smile she was giving me.

"Miku, help me make a pretty dance!" she cheerfully exclaimed.

"A pretty dance? Oh right, you are studying ballet aren't you? Hmm, sorry dearie I don't think there are any empty places to dance in right now."

"Auntie said I could use one of the empty bedrooms to dance, but I had to ask you to come with me."

"Ah, is that so? Alright then, let's go." Whatever to get away from this crowd.

I lead her to one of the rooms I knew to be most spacious, actively avoiding the one on the far side of the hallway of course. We entered the very modestly decorated room, for we did not use it, and I turned on the light.

"Knock yourself out" I said, sitting down on a simple double bed.

Musicless yet joyful, my little cousin nodded and started dancing youthfully, surpassing my expectations, for the child was actually really good for one her age. Amusedly, I observed her little ivory form perform charming plies, little battements, and other childlike, elegant pas and pirouettes.

"You are really good Yuki" I complimented her.

"Thank you! I'm doing a dance that will make someone happy."

She kept spiraling and skipping with a cheery charm, capably entertaining me, although I doubted I could really become happy.

"Really?" I asked "Who are you trying to make happy? Your mama?"

"No, well yes but, I saw this pretty lady by the garden and she looked really sad. I asked her why she was not smiling if she was so beautiful and she said that she had lost inspiration to smile. So I told her I would make a dance to make her smile again."

Twirl, twirl, twirl, my brain's engines rotated as she did, this pretty lady by the garden, it could only be one person. I stopped breathing for a moment, my heart haphazardly beating with hopefulness, it had to be her. I felt tortured by insecurity, could it possibly be Luka? It had to be, no one was more beautiful than her, doubts assaulted me, I did not understand why she was still here, but I knew that I wanted to see her, I needed to see her, desperately so.

"What do you think? Is it happy?" came my cousin's voice, interrupting my overwhelming emotions.

"H-huh?"

"The dance, I want to show it to the pretty lady!"

"Ah, uh yes. Yes. Let us go to the garden together now, shall we?" I said, I had no clue of what else Yuki had been doing after she had mentioned a pretty lady by the garden, but her dancing seemed charming enough before, so I figured it would do. It didn't matter, I had an overpowering urge to see Luka, and I was going to use Yuki as an excuse to go to the back garden right away if I had to.

Very much like the first time I visited Luka knowingly, I had no clue on what I was to say, but I knew I'd hold her and confess my love somehow, a heartbreak was presently killing me anyway, so I didn't mind loving a ghost girl. I needed her company so badly, and knowing she was sorrowful without me as well, I would never abandon her, even if she tried to force me to.

Walking as collectedly as I could, I followed my cousin's excited little steps, finding myself entering flower nirvana again for the first time in what seemed to be an eternity. Hearing her enthusiastic giggles fill the unnatural silence, so characteristic of that place, I chased Yuki as she started running behind a tree. I saw her do a little twirl and stand in front of someone with their back at me.

"I'm done! I brought a cousin with me if you don't mind, she seemed sad too" said Yuki, turning her gaze at me from behind her companion as I arrived at the same spot they were standing on.

A gentle flutter of pink as she turned her head, like a veil being lifted from an invaluable treasure, and there she was, my love, my perfect angel. The shift from absolute melancholy to full astonishment on her eyes exquisite.

"Ah..!" mouth slightly agape, Luka stared at me motionlessly as I returned her gaze with a loving one of my own.

"Well then, I'll show you!" declared Yuki, pulling us both out of our daze.

Unable to speak, Luka nodded and sat down underneath the tree. A small smile tugging at my lips, I sat next to her, letting our arms touch, warmth immediate as I did. I gently held her hand, resting my own on the grass, and looked towards a smiling Yuki.

"Inspire us!" I happily said, and the little ballerina started dancing.

Indulging in the presence of my love, I regarded the child's charming ballet, warmth finally finding its way back into my existence. Luka kept her gaze fixed on the performance, but I felt her impassiveness false as I noticed light squeezes on my hand and arm brushings she involuntarily gave me.

Every spin the little girl did, winded my resolve, I was not going to let Luka push me away again. How endearing the ardent rise and fall of my love's chest was, Yuki had succeeded in making her happy dance indeed.

"How was it?" asked the ballerina after doing a final pirouette.

"Fantastic." Said Luka, before I could express how perfect the performance had been for me.

"Really? Are you happier now?" said Yuki, I almost giggled at her excitement over such a simple word.

"Of course, thank you darling" said my love, rising from her position to lightly pet my cousin's head. "You are really good."

"You think so? Am I good Miku?" asked the child.

"Yes, thanks to you I too feel truly happier now Yuki" I said, earnestly smiling. "You should go show your dance to your mom and the others" while I was, in a way, trying to get her to leave me and Luka alone, I honestly meant that suggestion too.

"I will!" She exclaimed, running off towards the reunion again.

I watched her form until she entered the mansion, and prepared to replenish my soul of Luka's presence.

"Your cousin is adorable, I can't say I see the similarities, but she definitely has artistic sensibility, very much like you do" she said, still gazing towards where Yuki had disappeared.

I silently turned to look at her, waiting for her to look back, yet she stood unmoving, without meeting my eyes as seconds passed. I had never liked the use of profanity, but in this moment I had to acknowledge the fantastically accurate emotion and intention the use of the phrase "Fuck it" had. For that is exactly what I thought while I pondered over the most polite attempt of conversation I could come up with. Agreeable eccentricity of speech and action was highly unimportant right then and there as I was feeling.

I wordlessly approached her and as she turned to finally acknowledge my presence, I grabbed her cheeks and placed my lips on hers, keeping them immobile, but full of meaning nonetheless. I let three seconds pass and slightly separated from her, gazing adoringly into her bewildered ocean blues. My left hand descended from her cheek and met her right hand, letting our fingers intertwine delicately before leaning in for another loving contact of lips. Softly, hesitantly, she slowly corresponded my love, placing an arm around my waist and kissing me back gently.

Woes were unimportant, the world was unimportant, life itself did not matter, as I reveled in this intimate touch, both her and I knew that it was impossible to part now, we were fated as flowers and butterflies were, regardless of how ethereal or ephemeral the other was. This romance was to be carried out lest my wings be left battered, and her petals without blossoming.

The need for air forcing us to separate, we held loving gazes amidst applauding flowers and jolly stars.

"I love you" I said, letting all sentiment overflow through an almost whispered declaration.

Her affectionate eyes expressed consternation as soon as I said that "Miku you shou-"

"I won't." I interrupted her. "I know what you are going to say, but I will not have any of it. Luka can you not see? My heart is dying, I am becoming an automated instrument of existence, I need you to be alright, or else I'll stop being truly alive."

"That child had said you were doing okay…"

"I am not okay. Even if I say I am, no one would understand. I'm not okay and it is all my very own fault, I have gotten too good at lying." I almost let tears escape as I expressed this. "Sometimes I wished someone would understand, I wished they could see through me, see that I lied a way out of my heart, just to please the ones I think I love. See that I was having it forever sealed away, with laughing tears, my cracking heart."

She looked stricken hearing this, and she brought both her arms around me, holding me in a passionate embrace I needed, or perhaps one she herself needed. "Yet I would be nothing but something disgraceful for you dear…" she said.

"I don't care about you being a ghost, I need to love you and have you love me back. Do not push me away, there is no way I could fall for anyone else anyway. And I think," I paused, holding her gaze "you wish to love me and have me love you too."

We stood in silence for a moment, letting the words sink in, accepting how very real they were.

"Yes." She said "Yes, I need you too. But because I love you so much, I don't want to be conceited, what could you do, loving a dead girl? You'd be missing so much in life"

"Luka, I have gotten a lot in life, and nothing has ever made me more complete than being in love with you. I even considered dying for you."

"No, don't say that!"

"It's the truth. It is too late to try going back to my dull life again now, you have become the most precious thing to me, I don't think I'll ever be not miserable if I let you go now" I sighed and separately held each of her hands in my own. "Forgive me, I am so selfish, but I think you want the same, seeing as you are still here, in this plane."

She guiltily stared at me. "I could not find out how, I tried but there seems to be no way. Walking around leads me nowhere, thinking about it achieves nothing, I thought transcending was simple, but I didn't accomplish it."

"Ah…" I replied discouraged, I thought she had stayed behind for me.

"Oh no! Don't think wrong my love, I did not want to leave you alone, I wanted to transcend and become your guardian angel…"

I looked at her and involuntarily giggled. "How very silly dear" I smiled a little, knowing she was always thinking of me, just like I was thinking of her. "That is very strange, you not being able to carry on… but Luka you need not become anything for my sake, just let me love you and I'll be okay."

She stared deep into my eyes, trying to find a trace of doubt, but she found none. She knew I was earnest, she knew it was unavoidable, we just had to accept it as it was. She sighed in recognition of this truth and changed her expression to a defeated smile. Lifting our intertwined hands to place mine around her neck, she placed her arms around my waist and kissed me again, conveying her devotion towards me as I returned the touch with adoring emotion of my own.

Finally reveling in the consent of our love, I let my passion flow with intensity, immersing in the feeling of our kiss, our embrace, and our light caresses. We indulged in each other's existence for never-ending hours, healing the wounds a long time separation had inflicted upon our hearts.

I was back in heaven, eager to be conscious again, committed to the nurturing of this love. We kissed and held each other as our hearts demanded, as it was only natural for us to do so. And I recognized a steadfast determination to never let her go.


	9. Chapter 9

I was finally happy again, but as much as I had wanted to stay with my darling forever, I understood I had to attend to mundane life too, and we parted before midnight, having knowledge of an unspoken agreement for me to come back as soon as I could.

Like this, I started visiting her again, even though she would half-heartedly entreat me not to. As I was having the enjoyment of holidays, I spent most of my time with her, letting our romance grow and fill our souls. It was befuddling why she wouldn't be able to carry on to another life, and part of me wished to find answers to that. That, and how could I manage to be with her, even in the afterlife.

Yet regardless of such unnecessary present threats, our love was the fairytale I had always unknowingly needed. Just like I felt helplessly devoted to her, she was impossibly loving towards me, sweet and caring, even under the influence of melancholy. December's cold meant nothing in the warm embrace of my beloved, and even if the weather would become disagreeable, Luka always found a way to melt my heart.

It so happened that one particularly chilly evening, she lovingly made proof of this warmth by carrying out tender actions, which would have effortlessly thawed the most frozen of substances. I had stubbornly resolved to dress as prettily as I could for her, which often meant excusing myself from the use of scarfs and hats, undeniably getting cold with ease. During that night, I had been singing one of my most recent love arias for her, and while at first my shuddering could have been mistaken for excitement, she quickly took notice of how I was becoming displeased by the sharp, cold air.

Comfortably holding my waist from behind my back, she pulled me close to her and spoke calmly into my ear. "You are cold," she said "would this help you regain some warmth?"

"Y-yes" I answered, flushing from the sudden embrace, or perhaps the cold, perhaps both. I sighed and nuzzled my head below her jawbone "Yes, I do feel better."

"You are still shivering though" she murmured as she held me even tighter. "I have an idea, let your hair down."

"Alright…" Understanding my hair would probably act as a natural scarf, I decided to comply. Usually I'd keep my hair tied into twin tails, buns, braids, or whatever the outfit I would wear merited, mostly due to it being incredibly long, consequently being hard to handle. This time I had tried braiding some of my bangs and tying my hair into a simple ponytail, hairstyle I quickly undid as Luka requested me to.

She carefully helped me spread it to fall around the back and sides of my head, adequately providing a little warmness to my neck and shoulders.

"Better?" she asked, lightly stroking strands of my hair.

"Yeah, somewhat." I said, although not entirely satisfied by the warmth produced.

"Hmm, well then, I'd like to try something" she said, arranging my hair closer to my neck.

I caressed one of her arms mildly and quietly nodded in consent, my heart speeding up as I perceived her approaching my neck with her lips, as if to kiss it. As I closed my eyes in anticipation, I felt a light pressure over one side of my still hair-covered neck, and hot air flowed through the strands, effectively warming me up. Breathing out in delight, I felt Luka move to the other side of my neck, heard her breath in deeply, and minutely exhale over my hair and neck again, the cold leaving my body almost right away.

I sighed pleased and opened up my eyes, finding my love gazing at me with her chin placed over one of my shoulders, her head tilted playfully, providing a charming angle of her ethereal beauty. "Even better?" She asked, dedicating a lighthearted smile to me.

"Much better" I softly said, gently stroking the arms she had around my waist. To this, she smiled even more contentedly and proceeded to repeat what she had just done. After this blissful event, I separated slightly from her and turned around in her embrace so I could face her and hold her. "Thank you" I whispered, lightly pressing my forehead against hers.

"Ah." She said, looking unusually bashful. But before I could ask anything, she unexpectedly pushed me down onto the flower covered ground, the fall inexplicably painless. "My goodness, you are so beautiful!" she exclaimed.

"H-huh?" I eloquently uttered, still dumbfounded by her sudden action.

"My love, you look like an angel, in this white dress, with your hair down, I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it. If you could only see how alluring you look like this, surrounded by flowers" she said, smiling enchantingly.

Glad to see her in such a playful state, I giggled a little and held her, entwining my hands' fingers behind her neck. "The only angel I see here is you dearest," I said "only you can warm me up so charmingly."

"I'm glad it worked" she said, speaking a bit more calmly than before.

"Although for a moment, I was nervous" I laughed a little.

She confusedly tilted her head to a side a little and eyed me curiously. "Why is that, dear?" she asked.

"Oh, for a second I thought you were going to…" I trailed off, suddenly becoming too coy to say it.

"Going to?"

"To…kiss…"

"Hmm?" she approached my face and made a listening expression.

"I thought you were going to…to kiss my neck" I said, undoubtedly going a few shades of red darker, part of me annoyed at my helpless skittishness.

"Oh… would you have disliked that?" she asked, looking slightly troubled.

"No, I think I would have liked it" I boldly said, pushing nervousness aside, still blushing nevertheless.

She stared into my eyes and carefully asked "would you like me to do it?"

"…yes please" I almost inaudibly admitted. Why was I getting so flustered? It was not as if I had never had one of these kisses before, yet the thought of having Luka do it, made me uncontrollably discomposed.

Sensing my mood, she gently stroked one of my cheeks with her hand, and murmured a small romantic "okay". Firstly kissing my other cheek lightly, she moved some hair away from the same side of my neck, and as soft as the flutter of butterfly wings, she placed a small kiss on my skin, making me let out a ragged breath I had been containing, indulging in the sensation of that small touch. She slowly held one of my hands with one of her own, and keeping the other hand resting on the grass to support her weight, she kissed my neck again, this time a little more longingly, sending small jolts of pleasant electricity through my nerves.

I held her hand tighter as she did so, on both sides of my neck, and brought my other hand to the back of her head, burying it into her pink locks as she looked up into my eyes again, earning an eager kiss from my lips to hers.

Both breathing slightly heavily as we parted, I told her "I love you" with all the earnest passion my soul harbored.

"I love you too" she said, slowly closing her eyes as she approached my lips again, for us to kiss until the stars stopped shining in the same position in the sky.

Moments like this one, made me cherish her even more, and I very willingly let myself get lost into the sensations, thoughts, and emotions provoked. My joy was palpable, and openly visible as I would smile more brightly during a cheery "good morning" and "how fare you" when greeting other people. But there was annoyingly ever-present, at the back of my mind, a consistently nagging thought, refusing to forsake logic and neglect reasonable observation again.

The need for answers was so overpowering, I found myself unable to refrain from seeking them, fully conscious, the enraptured part of me always protesting against it, moving half-heartedly but with unavoidable resolve nonetheless. There was a sense of justice and rationality that made me aware of how unfair the situation was for my darling, and how much I forced a thin blindfold, with badly stitched holes, over my eyes for the sake of selfishness. Martyrdom was perhaps contagious, for after several loving encounters, just like Luka had decided to relieve me from unearthly woes before, I now felt the need to free my ghostly prisoner from shackles put there by me, thinly veiled as love. And love was truly what I now felt for her, not an immense infatuation anymore, not the promise of romantic fantasy, but true love, and as I discovered it to be more real of an emotion, I understood how much more important her freedom was, opposed to the pretense of a perfect romance, for as time would pass, it would unavoidably die the moment I would, most possibly before that, as I would age and move away, in the "real world".

She had indeed loved me before I had, she had understood this back then and acted upon it, thinking firstly of me. And now she was sacrificing her own very-long-term happiness for a comparatively very-short-lived one of mine, as I would stubbornly demand romance. But now I would not go away and let go, I would not escape or blindfold myself, no, I would hold her hand until I could free her myself, and I knew just how to start looking into the matter of her liberation.

Crushing answers had come before in the form of words uttered by a ghost servant, and even if I was now aware of them probably avoiding me, I knew Luka's loyal friends, which I somehow did consider my own as well, were still around. And so, I decided to start my search with their help, as I knew they were the ones most capable and interested in the subject of freedom from supernatural existence.

As both my family and I were enjoying holidays, I did not have the luxury of running around the house yelling my friends' names, unless I wanted to convince my parents of admitting me into a mental-health institution. So one night, as the clock marked two in the morning, I rose from bed, still fully clothed, and headed to search for them. They say spectral entities roam the world more intensely around early hours, right after midnight, and I found myself quietly chuckling at the hilarity of me conducting this search right as the saying would advise me to, but truth is, I wanted to catch at least one of them off-guard, as well as I needed to avoid being heard speaking to thin air, as it would look like to the eyes and ears of others.

It was an ironically easy guess, but I did try to search the kitchen first, and lo and behold, there was Avanna staring at me like a deer caught in headlights the moment I opened the door.

"I have finally found you!" I hushed excitedly, impulsively moving close to her, opening my arms for a friendly hug, Avanna stiffening up in response, reminding me that while we were not exactly fighting, our situation was probably not one to be called on good terms, unless freaking out and technically running away from Leon had counted as an agreeable farewell. "Ah sorry, I was just happy to see you" I said, awkwardly dropping my arms to the sides.

It was obvious that Leon had told her about the charred room's incident, for she looked quite dumbfounded at my friendliness. "…Miku?" she carefully asked, eyeing me strangely, possibly expecting me to break down and cry at the sight of a being I now knew to be preternatural.

"Right, I suppose Leon told you everything… Is he around? Perhaps I owe him an apology" I said, trying to sound as cordial as possible.

She noticed my effort and quickly understood I had long stopped being scared, having far more interesting and relevant ideas and inquiries to present in lieu of fear.

"…He was annoying me, yes again, don't laugh," she said, a small smile betraying her "so I told him to scram for a while, lest I disfigure his face… not that something like that would be really possible, as you already know…"

"Yes, I guess it wouldn't be…" I awkwardly replied. "But you know, I think he likes you."

She let out a small huff and grinned. "You know, I think so too."

We grinned together in silence, getting comfortable with each other's presence again.

"So…" I said.

"So" she now calmly stared at me.

"It is quite obvious now but, as you can see, I have come to accept it, what you all are…"

"And Luka?"

"That's…what I wanted to talk about."

She blinked twice and nodded, beckoning me to continue. I proceeded to tell her about the days from the moment I had found out the truth, up until the point where I realized I needed to free Luka from her flowery cage, and as I did so, I cared not to omit my undying love for her.

Amusedly unruffled at the awareness of our relationship, she showed concern over the limits of Luka's situation instead. "How…strange, if it is alright to use that term, even in our circumstances" she said, frowning in concentration, trying to make sense of the knowledge I had just shared.

"Yes, but I have resolved to help her, it matters not what I need to do" I said. "That's why I have been searching for you, I think you guys can help me figure something out."

"Ah, I see… but to tell you the truth, nothing comes to mind as to why this is happening" she apologetically admitted.

I frowned and roamed my mind for ideas. "Perhaps you could come see Luka with me and think of something" I replied.

"Is that possible?" she asked, for some reason incredulous.

"Yes, why wouldn't it be?" I asked, perplexed at her reaction.

"I don't know, it's just that… somehow, there is something about the garden that compels me not to go inside, not just me, all of us" she explained.

"Now that is quite odd. I have never had any trouble entering and exiting it," I said "just come with me, we will go inside together."

"I… alright, anything to help a friend" she smiled and motioned for me to lead the way.

As we exited the kitchen and approached the entrance to the garden, Avanna looked troubled and stared at the ground untrustingly.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I don't know, I can't seem to move my feet any closer" she answered, unmoving no matter how much she strained herself to take a step.

An idea occurred to me, Luka had escaped from her life in this garden, she had prayed to be away from what she was enduring, and Avanna in some way or the other, constituted a part of that past. I knew it was unfair to force my will, but determination came over me and I pulled Avanna's hand.

"Come with me." I said, bringing her inside with me, surprisingly without any real effort.

She looked startled as we walked inside, but relaxed and let out an amazed breath at the beauty of the flowers around us. "Something is undeniably magical about this place Miku, it is beautiful, in a very unnatural yet pleasant way" she expressed.

I pondered on what she said and giving a second look to the place I had to concur, yet deciphering the science behind its magic was not one of my priorities, for I had much more important matters to look into.

"Come, we should greet Luka" I said, earning a nervous "yes" from Avanna.

Nervousness did build up inside me as we walked, but just like every time, I knew where to go to find my beloved, I knew when and where I would hear her voice and see her face, and so, we moved up until a point where I could descry her beautiful figure, peacefully sitting against a tree, eyes closed in relaxation. It had to be the first time when I could see her sleeping form, and breath caught in my throat as I again had proof of her undeniable grace.

Avanna's steps pulling me out of my reverie, I mustered up courage, and kneeling down beside Luka, I gently kissed her cheek, pressing her shoulder with delicacy to wake her up. I saw her eyelids stir and slowly move up to reveal the gorgeous sapphire eyes I loved so much. Still somewhat drowsy, she smiled with her lips closed as she meet my gaze, then changed her expression to a confused one as she found me back inside flower arcadia so soon and at an uneven hour.

She immediately woke up and made a surprised face as she heard Avanna emotionally whisper from behind me "Miss Luka!"

Turning her gaze from me to her friend, her mouth stood agape upon recognizing her. She grabbed my arm and looked questioningly at me, trying to assess the situation. Quickly attempting to regain composure, she stood from her resting spot and approached Avanna, realizing she was there and very real, as real as their phantasmal existence would allow both of them to be.

"Avanna?" she asked, her friend nodding in response. "Oh Avanna my friend!" she exclaimed smiling cheerfully, moving to hug her long time missed friend.

"Oh miss Luka it is you, it truly is you! We had been searching for your soul for so long, sensing your presence but never finding it. I am so glad to see you again" said Avanna hugging her tightly.

I silently watched their exchange, my heart warming up at the sight of the joy both of them felt and expressed upon meeting the other again after such a long time. I felt not the tiniest bit of jealousy as they would talk and laugh about events missed by the other, but I felt uneasy at the expectance of the approaching discussion of the matter I had decided to solve. Still, not wanting to ruin their reunion I just gulped my woe as silently as I could and allowed them to enjoy the moment for a while longer. Sitting down just where Luka had been, I rested my head against the tree and watched them, basking in the radiance my dearest had when donning a truthful cheer.

They eventually grew silent and serious though, and as Luka turned around to see me, again portraying confusion, I knew the time to sweep away my selfishness had come. I nodded, and motioned for them to sit close to me, for I did not think standing to be a comfortable position, or a safe one for that matter, considering what we were about to deliberate.

"My love," I said, holding Luka's hands and staring at her intently. "I have decided to help you move on, now that I truly understand what it is to love you, now that I can see the unfairness of my previous demands, I will endeavor to accomplish your freedom. But I recognize I am incapable of finding the way to break your chains on my own, that's why I have brought Avanna with me, so that she can help us free your soul."

A thousand questions flashed through her face, doubts I could easily read and understand, to which I answered giving her the most earnest smile I could, letting her know I now understood the reality of our situation, I now loved her enough to let her go, so that I could later on meet her again on the other side, away from earthly limitations forced upon us.

"I don't know how we'll achieve it, but I promise you we will, and I will find you when my soul is free too" I said, wholeheartedly.

She seemed happy, but betrayed by worry, as ever, she was worried about me, and grabbing my hands tighter she said "But love, if we do, we will be apart for a while."

"It will be just a quick moment for you" I replied.

"But it will be a long time for you."

"When we meet again, it will have been just a moment for me too."

She seemed to accept this, but kept concern inside her heart nonetheless, fortunately she was not like me, and she understood I had made up my mind. Looking at her expression though, I felt compelled to reassure her further.

"I will be okay," I said "this is the way it should be, and I'll learn to live and love that truth, do not worry about me, I wish only to make up to you for all this time I've kept you shackled, to let you feel my love, and become my guardian angel as you promised to."

"Miku, I have always had free will, and I assure you I have never once felt imprisoned by you, if anything, you are the best I have ever had in this world, do not concern yourself with that, you are absolutely guiltless here" she solemnly declared.

"Still, I wish to help you. Will you let me? Please?" I pleaded.

She searched for a trace of doubt in me, but read nothing but resolve on my expression, and taking a deep breath, she caressed my hands and replied "Yes, thank you. I love you."

"I love you too." I answered, then turned to Avanna. "So Avanna, now that you have come here, and we all know what we are trying to achieve, do you have any ideas as to why Luka has not been able to transcend?"

She was extremely serious as she answered "Yes… it is so strange and unexpected though."

Both Luka and I stared attentively, urging her to continue.

"You see, I can sense it, just like I can sense everyone, I know who and what someone is. I know Leon when I sense him, I know you Miku when I sense you…and I know Miss Luka when I sense her, so now I get it."

"Avanna please, I don't mean to be rude, but I implore you, get to the point" I begged, anxiously waiting for her conclusion.

She looked troubled, but more than that, incredibly confused. "The thing is, I don't know why, but just like Miku… Miss Luka, you are not dead."


	10. Chapter 10

Whether Avanna's words were spoken bliss or tormenting confusion for me, I did not know, the prospect of Luka being alive was something I had only fantasized about before, yet now present as a possible reality, and opposed to what I had already set my mind to work for, I knew not how to react, and just settled for staring at Avanna, wide-eyed, not quite unbelieving, but in a state of pretty much short circuit.

Our hands were holding as we listened to Avanna's conclusion, and while mine responded to such news by becoming motionless, Luka's fingers clenched tighter around my weak grasp, forcing me to react.

"…not dead?" I asked.

"Most definitely not" replied Avanna, with a tone of assuredness.

"Human?" I inquired.

"That… I don't know, it's confusing, sorry…"

"Alive?" I pleaded.

"…yes, I'd say so, yes."

My heart rate accelerated uncontrollably, an excitement I did not know how to describe overcoming my being. Whatever resolution my heart had found, I could not understand it clearly yet, but I felt it was something good, I wanted it to be so, even though something was so terribly and obviously amiss in the presented event.

A gasp halted the train wreck of emotions and thoughts my head was becoming.

"H-how?" I heard Luka ask, as she relaxed the grip on my hand I now noticed had been inordinately firm.

"Miss Luka," answered Avanna "you breathe, you move earthily, you have a pulse, your skin has texture and your body fragrance…you exist."

It was true, it was inexplicable, but I had felt it and observed it firsthand. Oh, the one I loved had material form! So I was not so foolish being in love, it was something unavoidable, to yearn for someone I could have, no?

"No," said my beloved "that cannot be… Avanna, it is impossible! It's been years since I first escaped here."

All three of us stood silent at the contemplation of these facts, were we supposed to accept it as it was, or were we supposed to keep searching for more answers? Was it not better to ignore the oddities and try to enjoy the possibilities? I just wanted to, as she had advised me before, love and laugh without speculating anything.

"It is not fair…" Luka faintly said. "I feel like harboring some sort of hope now, but how can I dream, when the bases of that fantasy are so uncertain?"

I could tell she was not overjoyed at our lack of thorough information, but she was not despaired in the very least either, she was perplexed, just like both Avanna and I. Quite possibly scared, just like me. I held her hand in mine while I analyzed the facts and prayed for the best outcome for us.

"My love, I acknowledge this is undoubtedly preternatural, and I have no answers to what is troubling just yet," I said, remembering and holding tight to the resolve of loving her and freeing her from any anguish "but I promise you, I will stay by your side and find a solution to anything that apprehends you."

She turned to me, allowing me to read anxiety in her eyes. Yes, I would do anything to make her free, make her smile and feel my love. This time I would not let my idealism get in the way of the accomplishment of her joy, I'd observe and act upon truth, assuring her freedom and happiness over everything else.

"It is puzzling yes, but listen, I love you. Be calm, we'll find a way together" I reassured her.

She nodded and slowly looked down. "Yes… I'd like to think about this, I admit I need time and space to study the situation, that's all."

"I understand Miss Luka," said Avanna "I'll give you space if you wish. It was overjoying to see you again, I'm so terribly sorry for not being more useful, but know that all of us will be looking into this, we will not abandon you."

"Thank you Avanna, you are an invaluable friend, all of you are" replied Luka.

Avanna nodded with a small smile, stood up, bowed moderately and turned to leave. I disposed to follow after, understanding Luka probably needed to be alone to think, but she stopped me.

"Miku." She said. "Not you, I need you very terribly right now, please… let me hold you."

"Yes!" I half-whispered. "Yes, I am here for you, whenever and in any way you need me."

"Thank you…" she said, and motioned for me to meet her arms, which I immediately did.

She held me tightly, letting out a deep breath, then beckoned me to lay on her lap.

"Dear, shouldn't I be the one to hold YOU right now?" I asked with uncertainty.

"No, I do not wish to sleep, I need to think. But you need to rest, it has not escaped me how late it is, but I also need to have you with me, so please, let's stay like this."

I decided not to doubt her and complied, letting her rest a hand on my waist while the other gently ruffled my hair.

"Sleep" she commanded, and I, finding myself weak against her voice and caresses, the news received, and the weight of hours without slumber, became unconscious almost instantly.

I was proud of having made the choice of coming to Luka in normal clothing, for when I opened my eyes again and looked up to the sky, I could distinguish the break of dawn. Knowing I would probably find my family awake when coming back into the house, I was glad to have the excuse of having woken up extra early to visit the garden on a whim. An eccentric but not entirely unacceptable explanation despite the very discernible bags under my eyes, which little hours of sleep would not conceal, having stayed awake for so long last night, holding too many ideas in mind.

Remembering the conversation of just a few hours before, I practically sprang from my comfortable headrest, almost hitting my darling's face in an alarmed action.

"Well…good morning" said Luka, slightly startled at my sudden movement.

I turned around to face her, concern eating me inside, I now regretted having complied to soundly sleep while she had probably spent all night vigilant and thoughtful. What could she had possibly been thinking all these hours? Did she ever need me during that lapse of time?

"Luka! Oh, I slept so much, I'm so sorry! How are you feeling?" I asked, panicked.

She stared at me dumbfounded, then smiled, understanding the source of my consternation.

"I am alright," she said "I did after all, enjoy your presence all night."

I relaxed my stiffened shoulders a little. "But…how was your night? You know, considering…"

She sighed. "I know I said I needed to think, but truth is I only distracted myself all this time. It was pleasant though, being allowed to play with your hair for so long."

I brought a hand up to my head and noticed several braids and pretty hair-woven laces around the side I had not been resting on as I was sleeping.

"You did this all night?" I asked, perplexed.

"Oh no, I did snooze a little every now and then. But I do reckon I spent quite some time admiring your quiet beauty…" she admitted, looking to the side embarrassedly.

Realizing she hadn't pondered on what we had discovered last night, I just let out a quiet "ah" and noticed how her skin would be illuminated by the morning sun. Alive or not, human or not, I sighed wistfully as I though this girl would be too dangerously beautiful for a poet's soul.

She turned around and eyed me questioningly, I realized I had been fixing my gaze too intensely and looked away. "W-well as long as you are okay," I said "but do bear in mind what I told you, I'm here for you if you need me."

"Yes, I know… Thank you."

She turned my chin around so that I would face her, and smiling gently, placed a kiss on my forehead, making me smile too as she did so.

"Now, go and have breakfast." She said. "I've been here for a while, but I have not forgotten what basic needs are, besides your stomach was growling while you were sleeping a few minutes ago."

I staggered for an apology, becoming beat red at what she stated.

She tittered and gave small pats to my head. "It's okay, but seriously you should go, I do not mean to starve you by keeping you here. And… I need to properly think about what we discussed."

Understanding we both needed to attend to our own personal issues, I nodded and hugged her tightly.

"Okay, see you later today" I said.

"See you love."

With a last warm hug, we parted. I did receive questions about me being outside upon entering the house and sitting for breakfast, but what I really earned were mostly giggles at how my hair looked absolutely disheveled from one side, while the other was neatly arranged, being the one Luka had been styling. But trusting me to have some eccentricity, they believed my excuses.

That day, my diverting thoughts concerning Luka were interrupted as I received a cellphone call from IA, inviting me to spend some time at her house, stating she wanted to introduce her "darling" to me, possibly a holiday's fling. Finding I truly had no information to work on and nothing really better to do at home, I accepted her invitation and headed towards her house around midday.

Her house was, just as expected, quite as humongous as life in a high-class society would suggest it to be. Located about 2 miles away from my own home, the residence was surrounded by beautiful gardens and stone paths built for the convenience of both walkers and drivers. As I descended from one of our family's cars and thanked the chauffeur for driving me to my friend's house, I couldn't help but notice how the painting and arrangement of the building were very much like the owner, free spirited and colorful, the architecture playful in a mix of Classical, Victorian and Asian styles. Raising an inquisitive eyebrow at the creativity of the architect in charge of such construction, I walked up to the main entrance and rang the doorbell two times, with an interval of 2 seconds between each ring, just as IA instructed me, most likely out of pure amusement than an actual need for a ringing code I thought.

A middle-aged butler opened the door with elegance and opened his mouth to greet me, but my friend's exclamation of "Welcome Miku!" interrupted him. Running down a staircase she stood in front of the door and hugged me, a bit too tightly for my comfort.

"Oh I had missed you so much!" she said, making a long emphasis on _so_.

Struggling for breath inside her tight hold I managed to reply. "Y-yeah me too."

"And to think we'll be parting ways after vacations, we should take every opportunity to visit each other as often as we can. Oh my friend, just what will I do without you in my other school? Who else will understand my philosophies? Who'll hang out with me? How will I not be lonely?!" she expressed, in a fit of very accustomed exaggeration.

"You could just you know, make other friends?" I chokingly suggested, slowly resigning to the idea that I might lose my life in her overly solid hug.

"Do not mind her affectations, she won't be lonely," said an unknown speaker "if she is after all, coming to live with me."

I looked up and saw the figure of a slim, lavender-haired girl descending the very same staircase from which IA had come running.

"IA let go of the poor thing, you are strangling her" she said, directing a reproaching frown to my friend.

"Oh Yukari love, you need not be jealous, Miku and I are just good friends, see?" replied IA, compressing me tighter still.

"…I swear she is starting to look a little purple though."

"IA," I said, weakly pushing her to release me "introduce us?"

"Ah of course!" she said, finally letting go of me, allowing me to breath properly again after a relieved gasp. "Miku, my good friend, this here is my dear Yukari, my sunlight on snowy seasons, my fair companion, my beloved cuddle bunny, my-"

"T-that's enough, she gets it!" Interrupted a blushing Yukari, she then composed herself and extended a hand in my direction. "A pleasure to meet you Miku, IA tells me you have been her best friend ever since you entered her school."

I shook her hand accordingly and smiled. "Is that so? Well, I'm flattered. A pleasure to meet you too Yukari."

"So Miku you see, this is my darling!" said IA, holding the other girl's right arm with both of hers.

"I kind of figured that out…" I replied, grinning at my friend's unconventional romanticism. "So uh, you've been together all December yes?"

"Oh no, much longer than just December." Replied Yukari "I'd say... for three years now?"

"Hmm, sounds about right" said IA, shamelessly smiling.

"Oh that's… wait what?" I asked, remembering IA's multiple love affairs during my stay in the same school, imagining many others I had missed as well.

"I know what you are thinking," replied my friend "but it is not like that. Come inside won't you? We can chat more comfortably inside."

"Ah, okay" I said, and followed her inside the house, with interiors just as creative as the outside, up to a backyard with cute outdoors furniture placed in the middle, refreshments and tea on top of a small round table.

"We'll eat properly later on, when the food is ready, you like salmon and spicy udon yes? We can sit here meanwhile" said IA, motioning for us to sit around the table, as she approached the porcelain tableware and poured what I figured to be mint tea on three cups, placed for each of us.

We sat and talked about trivial things transiently, later on discussing each other's ideas for the future, our career plans and so on, laughing melancholically at the idea of soon having to become adults. I could not help but stutter as I talked about my own plans, for I really had no idea of what I would do, Luka plaguing my mind as well, constituting a very uncertain part of the near future. It was also explained to me the relationship the girls shared, both apparently having permission to fool around whenever they'd be separated, how they could accept that and claim to be in love still was beyond my understanding.

"But really," said Yukari, placing her cup down after taking a sip of tea "IA I had no idea you had met another witch here, why didn't you tell me before?"

"I beg your pardon, a witch?" I asked, not knowing whether she referred to me or not, and if so, not sure if it was a flattering statement at all.

"Oh no need to worry, you are among equals friend" she replied.

"Wait, you think Miku is a witch?" asked IA, stealing the words right out of my mouth.

"Uh yes? Is it not obvious? How come were you not able to tell?" asked Yukari, now looking just as confused as both IA and I, although probably not quite as confused as me.

"Excuse me," I asked "but what is obvious? I don't really follow you."

"Well your hair, it is a dead giveaway you know, you should dye it if you don't want it to be noticed so easily, although the dye wouldn't last much anyway, and I understand it can be a bit of a hassle. Say, it is still an uncommon color, what is your element?" said Yukari.

Making no sense of what she was saying, I just blinked and confusedly stared at her, thinking she had lost her mind. "I uh, what?"

"Oh" said IA. "Ooh, that makes a lot of sense!"

I looked at her, questioning whether they were both drugged or something similar, eyeing my own tea suspiciously afterwards. "What does?"

"No wait, you didn't know either?" she asked.

"I have no idea of what you two are talking about." I replied.

"No? Really? I thought I was the only oblivious one. Well to be fair, when I first saw you as you entered school I thought you were a witch right away too, but when I introduced myself you made no allusion of knowing my family's name or being from magical descent yourself, so I figured you had dyed your hair. Although I did wonder how you could get away with it, considering the school's policies."

"IA you are not making any sense." I said, but she just ignored me and continued.

"But you say you didn't know either? Wow, that is very strange! I don't think I have ever seen a case such as this. But see it does fit, especially considering your story with Luka. Ah, you know, she might just be a witch too, no, she definitely is! And of matching elements, that is so sweet, I wonder which they are though. Say-"

"IA, IA hold on, slow down please! Just what on earth are you talking about?" I interrupted her.

"What I'm saying is that Yukari-pyon is right. It is perfectly logical" stated IA.

"Yukari-pyon?" asked the other girl.

"Yeah pyon, you know, the bunny onomatopoeia, because you are cute, fluffy and loveable, just like a bunny."

"You…just came up with that, didn't you?" replied _Yukari-pyon_.

"Girls," I interrupted again "are you high?"

"No, I see you are lost, it's okay, we'll explain it to you" said the lavender-haired girl.

"Okay…"

"It will make sense, relax" said IA.

I looked at both of them and saw they had actually turned serious, so I just nodded for them to clarify the meaning of all the craziness they spoke.

IA cleared her throat and adopted an unusually solemn posture. "It should not be hard for you to believe, considering what you have been living recently, that witches do exist. I myself am one, and so is Yukari-pyon."

"I swear you just lost all seriousness when you called me that…" said Yukari.

"Quiet love, I'm in the middle of an explanation here. Now Miku, when I say witches, you most probably imagine ugly, big-nosed, green women, flying around with a broom, a black cat and hat. But that concept is far different from what we really are.

Leaving aside the obvious recognition of us being not only not hideous at all, but strikingly beautiful creatures, another common misconception is thinking witches, or warlocks for that matter, have access to all kinds of magic. That is not so, for every mage, if you like that term better, inherits only one element from his family line. Although there are ones such as my darling, whose family dedicated many generations to the acquisition of other elements, but usually, you'd find a witch to have the possession of only one, like say, a water witch, or an iron warlock. And this element, tends to show on the person's outer appearance, most commonly in hair and eye color.

Now this should be the most relevant part for you to understand, and you'll see why it is so incredibly fitting in your situation, it is a fabulously romantic concept too. Elements by themselves are compatible with some, and conflicting with others, kind of like electricity being better conducted by metal, and completely isolated by wood. This applies to the mages themselves too, and it is often found that people with congenial elemental characteristics will find each other irremediably in love with each other. Very much like you fell head over heels for Luka right away no?

So, considering your hair color, and your darling's too, that attraction, and the odd characteristics of your situation, such as others not being able to discern her presence, it should be logical for you to be a witch no? Although it is puzzling why you wouldn't be aware of this, has your family never told you any of this? Oh, perhaps one of your parents is holding it a secret from the other, among our community, marrying non-magical people tends to be heavily criticized, very much like it would be criticized the other way around if people knew about witches. Hmm you should ask the one you inherited your hair color from."

It was an overload of information, and while IA's grin and particular style at narrating did make it much more light-hearted, its seriousness did not diminish. Had it not been the case for the pieces of the puzzle to fit perfectly, I would have perceived my friend's explanation as yet another joke, affectation, or result of truly being drugged in some way. But the more I considered it, the more sense it made, having encountered ghosts, forbidden gardens, and an ageless love, the concept of magic was not at all unbelievable anymore. There was however, the issue of me not ever being aware of it.

Slowly processing what I had just heard, a doubt arose. "IA," I said "I think I do understand, and it does seem very logical but… I'm the only one in my family with this hair color, and I can assure neither of my parents dye their hair."

"I see, you should still ask them about it though."

"What if they too have no idea of what I'm talking about?"

"Perhaps you could try a different approach then? Just so they don't deem you insane. Something like `_hey, how come do I have this hair color mom?_´ or `_won't you tell me about where we come from?_´" suggested my friend, making an unflatteringly high-pitched imitation of my voice.

"I guess that could work…" I said. I was filled with uncertainty though, and had trouble reconfiguring many scenarios I used to have in mind for pretty much my whole existence.

"Miku," said Yukari "I know this is probably a lot to take in, but do know that you have friends in both of us alright? I am not informed at all of this Luka person mentioned, or the situation you are in, but be sure that if there is something we can do to help, we'll be glad to be of assistance."

"I…thank you, I truly do, to be honest I do feel kind of lost right now" I replied.

"Well, it is to be expected, it's a lot to process."

"It is…" I said. "So, what element do you guys have? I know you said it shows on outer appearance, but I can't really figure out yours."

"Ah, that is a secret" said Yukari. "In fact, if you do find your element, you should be careful about telling others about it."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Well, if it is interesting, someone might want to steal it from you." She declared grimly.

"Ah, is that possible?"

"Yes, and not very pleasant."

The seriousness with which she told me that did make an impression on me, and I made sure I'd remember it as I started to consider magic could be used in my advantage, perhaps I could utilize it to free Luka, perhaps it would hold the answer to many of the doubts I had. I just needed to understand and learn how to manipulate it.

"I see." I said. "And uh say, how does one make use of magic?"

IA laughed heartily. "Oh already interested aren't you? Well, I can't really blame you, it is after all, a pretty cool concept no? I bet you can't wait to start playing with your element."

"Uh y-yeah" I replied, still not comfortable enough to reveal my true intentions regarding the handling of wizardry.

"Indeed!" she continued, not taking notice of my stuttering. "Well, it is a fairly simple concept, all you have to do is hold an emotion and give it form, have a strong feeling and give it a purpose, an intention, aim."

"It sounds rather easy…" I observed.

"But it is not." Interrupted Yukari. "Doing it successfully, and more importantly, in a proper way, requires a lot of practice and concentration."

"Right," said IA "even if you have the advantage of being a witch and having magic pretty much flow through your whole being, actually casting something is quite hard. Although you can always of course, cheat a little."

"I-is that so…" I said, the more she told me about it, the more I became interested, but at the same time I couldn't shake off a feeling of building cautiousness, fearing what my free-spirited friend would suggest.

"Oh yes, any casting of the magical sort comes from a not exactly tangible source after all, I'd suppose something like the uh… soul, the world's collective energy? Anyway, so technically, as long as you have a strong enough emotion, even if the channel, more specifically the witch's body, is not in perfect harmony, big amounts of energy leak out whether you wish for them to do so or not, and having just a small consciousness of the purpose you want to infuse it with tends to be enough, it serves as a good enough vessel."

"And that is Miku, why IA is never going to be a magical instructor of any kind, giving such terrible advice" reproached Yukari.

"I know it is a lazy way of operating, but it works so remarkably well!" laughed IA.

"Yes but giving her that kind of advice right now is going to limit her understanding on the handling of her element instead of adequately instructing her."

"Oh Yukari-pyon don't be so stiff, it's good enough to start having fun. I mean that's the main purpose of our personal agreement no?" replied IA playfully.

"I don't abuse it as much as you do" muttered Yukari somewhat bitterly.

"Uhm, regardless of that," I interrupted, feeling awkward as I remembered their _agreement _regarding their relationship "although I do promise to take it seriously Yukari… IA, would you mind elaborating on that cheat?"

IA beamed triumphantly while Yukari just sighed defeated.

"Certainly! You do understand how it works right? So you see, the bigger the feeling or emotion, the more _power _you'll get out of it. If it is overwhelming enough, it becomes like a hulk energy, really strong, taking whatever vessel it can to push out with full force" she explained.

"I think I get it, but could you give a more specific example?" I asked.

"Well some psychos try self-injury and that kind of stuff to get the job done, but you might as well use pleasant events to your advantage too. You just need to think of a desire as you feel a surge, create a purpose for that energy. Meeting someone you cherish and had not met for a long time for example, will originate a lot of emotion, playing with adorable puppies will make you happy, and if you really want to go all turbo at it, you can channel your purposes very effectively using the emotions and feelings obtained as you are having se-"

"IA I think she gets it. God, you are a terrible influence" interrupted an irritated Yukari, much to the relief of a heavily blushing me.

"Oh don't worry Yukari-pyon, when I move in with you we'll make all the magic in the world" teased IA.

"E-Enough with the Yukari-pyon!"

It was positively embarrassing to think of such a method to attain what I was thinking of, and I chose not to ponder too fixedly on that before it became too much of an overwhelming idea, regardless of the wayward scenarios my mind mischievously tricked to play. Observing my friends' playful conversation, I couldn't help but notice that despite both of them having very marked differences in behavior, they complemented each other almost perfectly, in a way very much like what IA had explained on elements, even to the eye, it was certain that they were meant to be. I wanted to ask more, but a young, stuttering maid (who knows what she had already seen under IA's household) came and called us for lunch, interrupting our conversation. At the dining table, the topic was not touched again, and a call from my mother asking me to come home early to sing for some acquaintances of hers, kept me from obtaining any more information. I did however, make a mental note to call IA and Yukari when the just acquired knowledge settled more reliably in my head. Disregarding IA's embarrassing suggestions, I did wish to use whatever I could to help Luka.


	11. Chapter 11

Singing for my mother's acquaintances, I made sure to gratify her pride by imbuing my intonation with all the emotion from recent experiences I could recall. Casting actual magic was undoubtedly beyond my skill at that particular moment, but music by itself was a spell good enough to keep our guests entertained. There was no way in the world I could sing with all the love and polished technique I used to sing to Luka, but my performance was conveniently good enough to leave my listeners satisfied, ending the evening on a good note, probably benefiting future business dealings with my family. My mother, aware of this, and delighted at the prospect of positive negotiations, was consequently in a good mood as she accompanied these people to the door, bidding them amiable farewell.

Deciding to take advantage of this good mood, I figured it would be as good time as any to question her on the subject of my descent. It was perhaps too soon to be inquiring about matters I had yet to truly digest, but the passing of time during winter holidays would not stop, and I had endeavored to find a solution to current abnormal issues involving me and loved ones before the end of vacations. Never before had I been a child to ask too many questions, for I liked to find out about stuff by myself, habit often ending in unpleasant events, although very frequently becoming charming experiences too. So when I approached her and presented her with an innocently veiled "Mother, from whom did I inherit this hair color again?" her speech faltered as she nervously sat on her favorite corduroy armchair, next to a small bookshelf in which she kept all the works she'd read during very uncommon idle nights.

"Oh dear," she said, picking up a hardcover edition of one of her favorite books "have we not talked about this before? No? Oh well, we don't really know sweetie, it might just be one of those uncommon genetic oddities. Not that such a thing would be bad, it is after all, a very pretty color I think."

"That would make sense mother, if such a thing was possible. The mutation from brown eyes to blue was something, but I believe hair is an absolutely different thing. I mean, red hair is somewhat rare already, but as far as I know, this kind of color," I replied, holding a few strands of teal hair and presenting them forward as to make my point clearer "is not really possible by natural means."

She had opened her book and had started to distractedly run a finger through the pages, while I wondered if she had noticed she was holding the book upside down. It took her a few barely noticeable nervous tics and shallow intakes of breath to respond.

"I see, but you do like it don't you? It is lovely, you shouldn't worry about it… In any case, if it bothers you too much you can dye it a few times, but really, it becomes you, I don't see why you would disapprove of it." She replied, in a tone I could recognize as artificial assuredness.

This nervousness caused my mind to accelerate its conjectures, and as my mother clumsily noticed the erroneous position of her book and shifted her hold on it, I had the certitude there was something of the private order she would not reveal.

"I do like it," I said "but I have an overwhelming need to know where it came from."

She looked up to me, staring right into my eyes, I sensed how she was debating whether to tell me something or not.

"Well, I don't really know dear, sorry" she finally replied, going back to her book.

"Mother please," I objected "I think you know something. Is it that bad of a secret that you cannot tell me?"

"I don't kno-" she started.

"But you do." I interrupted.

She directed her gaze towards me again. She knew nervousness had betrayed her acting, she knew that apart from similar delicate features, we looked nothing alike. She was a typical woman from French descent, slim form, fine countenance, playfully wavy blonde hair, big green eyes, and milky skin product of being raised in a town with little sunlight. It could have been argued that I had inherited more physical characteristics from my father's side, but while he had the typical gorgeous black, straight hair Japanese men often do, he was quite above average on height, and was blessed with beautiful olive skin. I on the other hand, was quite as short as the equivalent of a human pony, of pale complexion, and of very distinct turquoise eyes and hair. Slimness and dainty features aside, there was no discernable way in which anyone could relate me to any of my parents.

"Why are you asking me this?" asked my mother after a quiet pause.

"I…I just get the feeling there is something I don't know" I half-admitted.

"Is that so…" she replied melancholically. "I suppose I should keep to my promise, regardless of how much I wished never having to explain this."

I watched her stand up and climb the stairs up to her room. I hesitated whether to follow her or not, but before I decided to move from the point in the carpet I had been planted on this whole time, she came back and presented me a carefully enveloped manuscript. I held what appeared to be a very old letter and looked up, staring at her confusedly.

"My girl." She said. "Oh my daughter, before I say anything, you need to know, you ARE my daughter, and I have loved you ever since the first time I laid my eyes on your tiny and fragile existence 18 years ago. Regardless of what I am about to tell you, know that as my daughter, I love you."

Not quite understanding or picturing what she was going to express, I gently nodded and answered "yes mother, I love you too."

She smiled. "Miku, you are a very smart girl, perhaps too smart sometimes… But I think the thought has crossed your mind, that we are not exactly blood related."

She paused and waited to see my reaction. It was surprising yes, but not entirely shocking, for as she had said, I had already considered such a circumstance before, and I had no real fondness for family honor or patriotism anyway, so I just blinked and nodded again, beckoning her to continue.

"Right…" she resumed. "So as you already know, your father and I met in Japan, me being an exchange student attending the same college as him. I have already told you the story of how we ended up falling in love, marrying and living together, so I'll skip to the part you are really interested in right now."

"Okay" I replied.

"Back then we were not half as wealthy as we are nowadays, we had a small house on the outskirts of town, but money and such things didn't matter yet, we were young and we were happy." She explained, a longing smile lingering on her lips during a little pause in which she stopped to gaze at nothing, remembering the past. "It was absolutely unexpected, and most definitely out of what we could ever imagine happening to us. But during an eerily quiet, raining night, a knock came to our door.

We figured someone needed shelter, and we predisposed to humbly offer refuge from the rain to whoever happened to be out at such an hour of the night, under inordinately wet and chilly conditions. What we encountered upon opening the door could only be described as a desperate angel, in tattered clothes and hyperventilating hopelessly. A beautiful, small, teal-haired woman of no more than twenty to the eye, looked into my eyes pleadingly as she held on tightly to a little figure in her arms.

'Please,' she pleaded 'please save my baby.'

It was an astonishing sight, and I just stuttered she could come inside and take shelter if she wished, we could give her a warm meal and bed for the night too.

'No, thank you, you are so kind' she said in no more than a hushed reply. 'But there is nothing else I can do, just please, take my child. Our family is being persecuted, there are people who wish to rob our very souls, they are greedy, they won't stop even if it is a little girl they have to murder. They don't know about her, not yet, but it won't be long until they target her…'

I did not understand what the woman was implying, but I placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly, for I did not know what else to do.

'Oh please just take her!' said the woman, tears cascading from her eyes as she caressed the baby's little teal locks. 'She is a very quiet baby, she'll be loving, kind, and beautiful, I can tell. I assure you she'll be a perfect daughter. But we can't protect her anymore, they are too powerful, too dangerous. Love alone is not going to save her, so because I love her, I beg you, please protect her.'

She kissed the baby's forehead and weakly passed her to me. I was overwhelmed, but held the girl in my arms nonetheless, little shining teal eyes stared back at me, capturing my heart.

'What's her name?' I asked, enchanted with the little creature.

'Miku, her name is Miku' replied who I understood was her mother.

A thunder was heard and the woman looked back panicked. 'Give this to her when she comes of age' she instructed, handing me the very same envelope I just gave you. She then turned to the child in my arms, and tenderly kissed her forehead again, tears falling down her cheeks.

She muttered something I could not understand and I saw her eyes light up with an aquamarine glow, the baby's eyes glowing briefly in response. She stood up, looking more composed than before, stared right into my eyes, determination readable in hers, pronounced a final 'thank you', and stormed off into the rain, several thunders accompanying her departure. We never saw her again."

Such a tale could have only been read in an overly dramatic play, but my mother's words rung solemn, so I knew she was not jesting. Slowly connecting the ideas, I understood everything. I was indeed, of magical descent. My biological mother had saved me from what were undoubtedly other power hungry mages, she had escaped, assured my safety, and lured them away from me. An uncomfortable pain shot through my heart as I understood she had most definitely sacrificed herself for my sake. It was not what I had imagined, even though I hadn't really imagined anything at all, and it was terribly sad. But I was absolutely certain now, I was a witch, because my mother, my real mother, had too, been a witch.

"You have been our daughter ever since" said my mother, interrupting the chaotic connections my mind was making.

I looked up from the floor and into her eyes. It pained her to admit she was not my biological mother, I knew that, but a compassionate smile on her lips made it to be known that she understood how much more painful it was for me to know of the doubtless death of my blood family.

I detached my feet from my spot and shuffled to her, hugging her tightly. "Mom, I love you!" I exclaimed, not knowing what else say.

She understood both my heart and mind were conflicted and she held me back, softly rubbing circles on my back with one hand. "I love you too sweetie" she said, and allowed me to silently let some tears escape, not asking me to turn around to face her until I calmed down, knowing me too stubborn to let her see me cry.

"You should read that letter." She said, once my breathing proved to be even. "Don't worry, I never dared even glimpse at its content, and you may take it to your room and read it alone if you wish. Regardless of what it says, you are my daughter, nothing is ever going to change that, okay?"

I detached from her and eyed the letter I had been holding all this time. "Okay… Thank you mom… You will always be my mother too" I replied, smiling back at her.

She ruffled my hair affectionately and nodded. She then proceeded to sit down on her favorite couch again, grabbing the same book she had been looking through before, this time holding it upright.

Looking at the envelope in my hands, I decided to head up to my room to minutely peruse it in privacy.

Sitting down on my bed and turning on the light of a table lamp, I ran my fingers through the letter's timeworn material. Gently opening the beige wrap, I pulled out a few battered pieces of paper, delicate cursive letters filling their surface. Observing the contrast of black ink on cream colored pages, running my fingers over the graceful calligraphy, I thought about how this was my mother's handwriting, how she had written this for me, her precious child, the baby she had been willing to sacrifice her life for.

My eyes teared up again at the thought of someone having loved me so much as to give up her own safety to assure mine. Muttering a silent "thank you mother" to the air, I started reading the letter:

"My dear Miku,

If asked to write a letter, even to my daughter, there is a good chance I'll disappoint. Conveying emotions in the form of words becomes incredibly difficult for me without proper and lengthy contemplation. Sadly, there is not much time for me to dispose of.

If someone told me this would be my last letter, and it might be, even with the absence of a recognition of your character, I would try to express that even though seemingly cold, I had a feeling heart, one that did yearn to paint its beatings with emotions and the colors of the little one I love.

Upon my honor and self-worth, I swear I loved you and wished for nothing but your safety. If we had been together as mother and daughter, every day would I have complimented your eyes in shape and color, comparing them to bright gems, I would have related your charming and not so charming moods to gorgeous happenings in nature. I would have protected your growing form, planting kisses on your cheeks whenever you'd cry, holding you lovingly without a reason whenever I could, even if during your teenage years you'd hate it. Even now I sigh wistfully at the musicality of your little voice, and will long for your presence as I remember its sound.

It is heartbreaking, but my dear Miku, against them I can't really protect you, if I don't hide you, they will kill you. You have a very special gift, a beautiful talent, sadly, one that can be stolen.

You probably have no knowledge of this, and perhaps you won't believe it, but I'll tell you a secret, you and I, dear daughter, are witches. Yes, spell-casting, fantastical, magical girls. And not just any kind of witches! Butterfly witches we are, those capable of merging with butterflies, able to share our own existences with their delicate, fluttering ones. Because you see, every witch has a special power, one inherited from her family. Others have inherited fire, water, wood, and many other things you may imagine. But us, we are blessed, and cursed I'm afraid, with the "element" of butterflies, blue morpho butterflies more specifically. How is that special? Well, butterflies are living things, meaning you merge with them not only physically, but intangibly, through our lifetimes, through sensations and the beating of their tiny hearts. And it is this, my darling child, what power hungry witches are after.

They want to become immortal, they wish to steal our gift for themselves, so that they can live through the lives of butterflies, consequently never aging. We had kept our element a secret for many years, but they found out, and they are strong, they have stolen power from many other witches, and they wish to do the same with us. Magic comes from what you could call your soul, a soul channeled into a physical form is what you understand to be a person, without that vessel, it is only free energy, part of every energy, the world's energy.

What these people do is terrible, they rip out the soul out of your body, destitute it from its individuality, killing the person and his/her consciousness in the process, absorbing the raw element for themselves. It is vile, it is an assault to life and to the beauty of material existence, all for the purpose of selfishness and greed, and I will not let them do that to you.

Us adults, we can usually escape, we fuse our lives with the ones of every butterfly, and make ourselves impossible to capture. They know this, so they look for openings in which their prey does not have the time or means to flee. They hunt us down during sleep hours, betting on swiftness, and they will come after you, my innocent baby who has yet to understand how to use your power, as soon as they find out about you.

So before they know you exist, we must part, I'll make sure someone takes care of you and protects you, I'll lure them far away from you, and if they do catch me, and I fear they will, I'll make sure to die before they can attain our gift. Creatures such as them should not be endless.

My darling daughter, watching the ones you love struggle pointlessly to stay alive, even when it is clear they suffer and won't survive, fighting for your sake and not their own. Watching them try, even when it seems hopeless, you realize… You realize you need to be brave, brave enough to assure them you'll be okay without them, brave enough to part from them, even if you fear being alone. So I ask you to remember this, and be brave yourself, now and always, should the time ever come for you to protect someone too.

It is also important that you also remember not to hold grudges or allow resentment to grow in your heart. People will hurt you, but not because they are evil, you should not hate them, for they are not precisely villainous, but merely ignorant, and all you should really feel for them is not scorn but compassion.

I know you will be a wonderful woman, witch or not. Tomorrow I'll miss you, and I'll always pray for your wellbeing. Be brave, be strong, be gentle, be proud, be kind, I already know you'll be beautiful. I'm sorry for not staying with you, but always remember that I love you.

With never-dying love,  
>Your Mom."<p>

It was crushing, it was heartbreaking, it was unfair. Reading this letter, I couldn't help but shed a few more silent tears over my mother's sacrifice. She had loved me more than anyone, she had protected me, and she had been brave for me. Understanding the magnitude of what she had to forsake, a knot tied up in my stomach. I did not want to feel guilty, but I did. Still, reading the last words of the letter, I held my hands together and quietly pledged to be everything she had hoped I would be.

The truth having been revealed, most of my doubts had been cast away, and I now understood my hidden nature. I was a witch, a special one too, a blue morpho butterfly witch.

As I looked out through my room's window, I recognized the silver gleam of the Moon over the back garden, the colors of flowers flickering under its light. I smiled as I noticed a few butterflies flying around and through the roses. So free, frail, gentle, and beautiful. Butterflies truly were a charming element.

Remembering I had yet to check up on Luka, for she had earlier on this day received bewildering information herself, I headed down and into the garden, deciding to share with her what I had learned during those last hours, after ascertaining she had assimilated her own news, for both of us to be calm enough for ponderation.

I found her, as always, under our usual spot by the tree, her skin being hauntingly kissed by moonlight. Had I not known already she was not, as a supposed before, a ghost, I would have believed her to be one right then, for she looked remarkably beautiful and ethereal under the crescent light.

"Hey" I greeted her, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Dearest, hello…" she replied, returning my hold.

We sat down arm next to arm, our backs pressed against the tree's dark-brown trunk.

"I figured it out…" said Luka, after a fleeting silence.

I turned to face her, but her gaze stood directed forward.

"What did you find out?" I asked her.

"How I came to be marooned and planted here" she stated, her tone making me notice how melancholy affected her mood.

"Yes?" I asked, indicating I'd listen.

"Yes. When doctor Megurine lost his family, he became sorrowful and mad. He obsessed over me, loved me in a very overwhelming way afterwards. It became unbearable how he would sometimes force his adoration on me. After too much, I ran into this garden, and I prayed that I could be taken away from reality forever. I prayed I could be like these flowers, simple, beautiful and unbothered. Well, my wish was granted. I have been here since then, I am no ghost, I just simply cannot leave, cannot die" she stated pessimistically.

It was already what I had figured out myself, but I didn't tell her yet, I wanted to make sure she'd be feeling composed before disclosing yet another overload of information to her. So meanwhile, I decided to test the waters and prepare a suitable context for me to present the concept of witches.

"So, it is something like magic" I said.

"Yes, something like that" she replied.

"Well, that is a good starting point," I stated "we can start looking for a solution with that as a basis, no?"

She looked at me confusedly for a second, not understanding how I could arrive to such a conclusion so naturally, then turned back to gaze at the nothingness in front of her again. "Perhaps…"

We stood there in silence afterwards, breathing in and out, contemplating what each of us understood. After a few minutes I decided to break the silence.

"These flowers are so beautiful…" I softly expressed, looking around the moonlit garden.

"No, they are vile things Miku" she replied. "They keep me tied to this world, I don't want them to exist anymore!" there was an unmistakable gleam of disdain towards them in her eyes.

I stared at her unbelievingly as I understood the true meaning of her words, as she was not referring to the flowers themselves. "Luka! You wouldn't mean you want to die would you?" I exclaimed.

"I…no, of course not. But this is absolutely unnatural Miku, it goes against all order, it is nothing but a selfish wish turned into a curse. I should have stopped existing a very long time ago."

I looked at her anguish filled countenance. "You want to die?! But it is you who said life was a theatre! Is this not a wonderful play? Why would you want to drag down the curtain on it, just because it is a bit unconventional?" I reproached.

"This play has been running for far too long already." She declared dejectedly, looking straight into my eyes.

"Then…then what do you want to do?! What happened to just living without thinking too much? What happened to loving and laughing?" I insisted.

"Those were just words of bad advice I gave you Miku!" she exclaimed. "Ignorance of seriousness and melancholy can only last for so long before it comes back to haunt you. Then all bliss turns to horror."

"Horror exists only under overly emotional confusion Luka." I argued, growing exasperated.

"Perhaps… But fear has also allowed humanity to survive" she countered. She held her hands up to her face. "Oh, I have been so reckless, wishing for something so terrible." She then held both of my hands in hers. "Miku, this is not a proper existence. Save reckless me from ambiguity."

"W-what. Luka, what do you want me to do?" I asked, fearing what she'd suggest.

"I want you to kill me" she solemnly declared. "If it is by your loving hand, I do not mind dying."

At this, I became incredibly angry. How could she suggest such a thing? There was a limit to martyrdom, and she had clearly crossed the line of what was tolerable. To forsake one's life over nothing but affectations, how foolish it was. After having read my mother's letter, I realized this, and I became more annoyed than anything at my darling's dramatic expressions.

"You want a tragedy then?" I asked, furiously standing up. "Fine."

I stomped out of the garden, leaving a bewildered Luka behind. I headed towards the kitchen and fumbled through drawers until I found a knife big enough to count as an imitation of a dagger. Then moved back into the garden and stiffly stopped in front of Luka, who stood up alarmed as she noticed the object in my hand.

"Let's reenact something like Shakespeare, shall we?" I angrily asked. "I'd like to play something less stereotypical but I only have this kind of theatrical enough weapon at hand, so a cliché suicide will have to do."

Luka just stared at me, visibly frightened, but very irritatingly attentive as well, expecting who knows what from me.

"Well then," I continued "how should we go about it? Ah, I know. I'll vertically slit my wrists and I'll stab you next. No? Oh but that's the proper way to do it for blood to pour out cleanly and quickly enough. Look, it will be swift"

"No stop!" she screamed, as I dragged the sharp tool close to my wrist. "What are you doing?!"

"Darling, no tragedy is complete if both lovers don't die in each other's arms. What? You think I'd kill you and live on after that?" I knew my speech was edging on a cynical tone, but I couldn't stop my anger.

"No, but what you are suggesting is ridiculous!" She exclaimed.

"My love, from the very beginning, what YOU suggested is ridiculous" I countered.

"They are very much different scenarios! Mine and yours." She protested, her voice raising in pitch as her panic augmented, for I still had the knife's edge close to my wrist.

"No, not really, for you and I Luka, we are both the same" I explained.

"We are most certainly not, not in any reasonable way" she objected, shaking her head desperately.

I sighed annoyed, and threw the knife to the floor, its tip digging into the ground.

"I learned something today Luka, and I have hope in it being the solution to our dilemmas" I confessed, staring into her eyes with determination.

Her whole posture was disheveled, panic having shaken her too roughly.

I sighed and relaxed my stiffened stance. "Look I'm sorry, it's just that…after what I learned, this drama was very unfitting. Allow me to explain, won't you? And please love, no more grief. Today I learned, I pledged, to be brave."

She stared back at me confusedly, still frightened by my previous actions. I walked up to her and combed her hair with my hands as gently and lovingly as I could.

"Luka," I said "both you and I are witches. And I think we can use that to our advantage."

* * *

><p><strong>Yes Luka, stop being such a drama-llama sheesh.<strong>

**A blue morpho is a species of butterfly, possibly one of the most commonly known. They have blue wings (duh) with something like a black frame around the edges. I was tempted to write "teal morpho" but I figured the original worked just fine lol.**


	12. Chapter 12

She stared at me, possibly wondering if my unpleasant jesting was still in action, but shaken as she was, she knew better than to misjudge the intense determination flowing and speaking through my eyes.

"Witches? Wha…How?" she quietly asked.

I looked at her, still running my fingers through her silky-soft pink strands, noticing how even her hair seemed ruffled by the previous agitation I had unjustly provoked in her.

"Yes," I answered "I know it sounds nonsensical but really, at this point, is anything unbelievable?"

Her breathing becoming steady again, she stared into my eyes pensively, sighing after some seconds. "No…certainly not."

I smiled and pulled my fingers away from her hair. "I met a pair of witches, well I already knew one, but I didn't know what she was before…"

I proceeded to minutely explain every bit of information I had freshly received, making sure to stop at intervals to judge my darling's comprehension of what I was saying, her countenance always proving a display of perfect focus. How she managed to break from one mood into another was a mystery to me, perhaps living for so many years fundamentally in solitude had an effect on her character. Then again, I was not one fit to judge that particular trait.

"So you think those friends of yours could help us? Help me?" Inquired Luka, after I had stopped relating my visit to IA's domicile.

"Yes, but that's not all." I replied, pulling my real mother's letter from a pocket in my dress and handing it to Luka. "I had my doubts about being a witch myself, but I heeded my friends' advice and asked my mother, and well… I'm uh, adopted it seems."

She raised an eyebrow inquisitively as she took the letter.

"Yes you see, my mother told me, after a lot of insistence by the way, a woman with the same hair color as me had left me under my actual parents' care one night, begging them to protect me. And, she also gave me that." I awkwardly said, pointing to the letter now in her hands, wondering if she'd think I'd be joking, unfitting as the time for that was, I saw her nod in acknowledgement though. "Yeah, read it, you'll understand."

As she was reading, I could note how her expression changed as she perused the letter's contents, and I found myself guessing which parts she'd read as she frowned slightly or softened her gaze. When she finished, she looked up at me with guilty and appalled eyes.

"So I guess we kind of have something in common no?" I asked, half-smiling.

"Oh my poor poor darling!" She exclaimed, reaching out her arms to embrace me.

I accepted her hold gladly but I had already shed the tears that had been necessary, now having more important resolutions in mind. "No, no, don't pity me. If anything, this has given me strength, and hope. I now know we can save each other" I said, smiling and gently caressing her hands.

She nodded, slowly. And looking deeply into my eyes, she kissed me, very softly, amorously, both reassuring and dazing me.

"I think… I needed that" I said, after our lips had parted. "Did you know I did?"

She smiled guiltily. "No, I just didn't know what to say, and I felt like kissing you."

I stood surprised for a second, giggling shortly afterwards. "Fair enough." And I kissed her again, more longingly this time.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it though." She said between breaths.

"Oh yes, I could do this forever."

Under higher spirits, it was now easier to deliberate what we'd do regarding our very preternatural situation. My idea was, understandably, to make use of our living elements, more specifically hers, to free her from this prison made of petals. And for this, it was concluded that both IA and Yukari would be the best people to consult on the matter of fusing in and out of an element.

It was getting fairly late when I came back inside my home, so the first thing I did after leaving the garden was dial IA's number to request her help and arrange a meet up. Five rings later, I heard someone pick up the phone.

"IA? I am so sorry about calling at this hour, but I need your help terribly. Both yours and Yukari's maybe" I said.

"Miku?" I heard a huskier voice than IA's answer. "Hey, this is Yukari, IA is taking a shower right now. Are you in trouble?"

"Oh, Yukari, hey. Sorry to bother you, I am uh, I'm not exactly in trouble, but I do need help, please." I replied, feeling conscious about my poor manners over the phone.

"I see… Is it related to what we discussed?" She asked, apparently not minding my calling at that hour.

"Yes, very much so." I answered, followed by a small silence.

"Okay, what's up?" She finally replied.

"I think you guys were right, no, I know you were right. It is clear now that both Luka and I, we are witches." I explained, concentrating into not letting excitement make me rush the information.

"Yeah?"

"Yes, and I think I have figured it out, how she got stuck where she is, why I love her, how I can help her be free."

"And you need help with that" affirmed Yukari.

"Yes…"

"Okay, continue."

I explained to Yukari how I thought Luka's element had something to do with flowers, and how I thought she somehow had gotten herself perpetually linked to them, therefore staying trapped, young, and most importantly, alive.

"Wait." Interrupted Yukari. "You are telling me she has a living element?"

"That's what I believe, yes. It would make absolute sense, wouldn't it? Besides her element fits well with mine."

"Are you absolutely certain?" she apprehensively asked, ignoring to ask my own element.

"Yes. And I wanted to ask you to help us learn how to control it so that she can be free from that enduring connection."

"…So, you want to free her from her element?"

"Hmm, well yes, I guess you could say that. Will you aid us? Please?" I pleaded.

She paused for almost a whole minute before answering, her voice somewhat low as if to hide it from other's ears. "…Yes, I'll certainly help you free her." She declared.

"Oh thank you so much!" I exclaimed, sporting a huge smile over my side.

"Yes…" She said. "It won't be hard, I can do it quickly even, but we need to arrange a date in which no one else but you is in your house, you understand?"

"Certainly." I replied. "In fact, now that I remember, my parents and I were going to visit some friends of them tomorrow, I could always you know, get sick and not go."

"Yes, perfect. Tomorrow noon is fine then?" she asked, while smiling it seemed.

"Yeah! Seriously, thank you so much Yukari, you have no idea how much this means to me. I'll owe you forever, if you ever need something within my capabilities, do not ever hesitate to ask!" I eagerly and earnestly exclaimed.

She just chuckled a little. "Alright, I'll just ask you one thing then."

"Anything!" I almost yelled, too happy and excited to even notice my childish manner right then.

"Don't tell anyone about this okay? It would be inconvenient if someone else heard." She said, her voice turning low again.

"Sure! Oh… you mean because of the nature of her element right? Someone may try to steal it?" I asked, quieting down, remembering what I had read in my mother's letter.

She paused again, perhaps turning around to check if there were any listeners nearby. "Yes, exactly" she finally answered.

Ecstatic was an understatement for the state I was in, it now seemed like joy and hope had a place in our picture, having received such reassuring affirmations from Yukari, I could almost not believe my luck after hearing she'd even be able to do it quickly. What would I do afterwards? I didn't know, I didn't care, if possible, I could very well elope with Luka and be happy forever, selling trinkets and singing for money. Life had been an insufferable rollercoaster of emotions and situations lately, and I could not wait any longer to get off from it and ride over a pleasanter path.

Blissfully hopeful, I decided to calm down and rest for the night, the sooner I slept, the sooner tomorrow would come. Oh what a surprise this would be for my darling! But before going to bed, I remembered I had not told Yukari my own element, unsure as I was about that accounting or helping for anything, I decided to text IA that bit of information before going to bed, just in case.

Morning came, and I made the best use of my acting abilities to trick my parents into thinking me indisposed enough for staying home, quickly rushing out of bed and getting myself dressed and ready as soon as I heard them leave. It was still a long time before noon but I wanted to look my best for such a wonderful occasion, and decided to take good care and time into my personal grooming before Yukari's arrival, "dress for success" people would say, and after so many mythologies coming to reality these last days, I figured I'd follow the superstitious advice.

I had been in the kitchen, eagerly chatting with both Leon and Avanna, telling them all about my plan and how my dear friends would help me. It didn't matter that they were present, for they were after all, ghosts, and if one didn't count them, our household had only a few, very diligent servants who posed no threat of prying eyes or ears. My jolly conversation was suddenly interrupted by a very strong gust of wind inside the kitchen though, making me quiet down and cover my eyes for a second. As I opened my eyes, I saw IA right before me, looking rather alarmed.

"IA? Wha-" I started to ask.

"Miku! Hey, did you talk about anything in particular with Yukari last night?" She hurriedly interrupted me.

"Well yes, as a matter of fact I did" I answered, confused at her anxiousness. "Why?"

"She was acting strange throughout all morning," she replied, "said she had something of grave importance to do, and she left the house early, to get what she needed and attend to her duty she said."

"Wow, what a noble person she is, taking it so seriously." I said, impressed at Yukari's extraordinary commitment.

"Huh? I guess, she looked rather serious. I decided not to give it too much importance, she is after all, from a very important family in the magic world, and she has more stuff to do than I ever do. So I got bored and checked my phone, then I saw your message '_Hey, tell Yukari mine is butterflies, not sure if it'll help, but it might be important.'" _She explained and quoted.

"Yes I sent that to you last night, did you tell her? And by the way, how did you get into my house?!" I exclaimed, now remembering she had just appeared out of nowhere, right in the middle of my kitchen.

"I turned to wind, travelled, and sneaked in here." She explained, almost nonchalantly. I was about to protest, when she continued. "And no, she left before I had seen your message, but I wonder, is it related to what she has to do today?"

"Hmm? Did she not tell you anything?" I asked.

"Not a single thing. Butterflies? Just what…" she started, suddenly widening her eyes as she seemed to realize something. "Miku! Just what did you tell her?!"

"I just asked for her help," I replied, holding my hands up as if to defend myself from her exclamation. "I figured out Luka's element, flowers. And I realized this information was all I needed to free her from her bind, so I called you to ask for your aid with this, Yukari responded though."

She looked dismayed. "Living flowers?"

"Well yes, how else could she live for so long and so healthily under those conditions?"

"Oh no…" She muttered.

"IA? What's wrong?" I asked.

She stared at me silently, a serious expression, very uncharacteristic of her, present on her features. She seemed to deliberate something meaningful, and finally spoke, in an unusually grim tone. "You are in danger." She stated.

"What?" I asked, very disconcerted.

"You shouldn't have…Yukari…Damn it!" She frowned. "You shouldn't have told Yukari about that, she probably, no, she is most certainly going to try and steal Luka's element."

"What? No, she wouldn't!" I exclaimed, horrified at the thought of having my darling's soul destroyed by a power-hungry sorcerer.

"She would!" Exclaimed my friend frustratingly. "As I told you, she is from a very powerful family, and she'd have plenty of reasons to consider acquiring Luka's power a duty. The biggest and strongest families have grown over the destruction of many others, and are in a constant state of competition and near-war, waiting for the moment they see a weakness in another family to destroy it and steal their elements, if only to ensure their own safety. So naturally, if Yukari finds something that promises an advantage, like say, immortality, she is going to do everything to get it…. Get it?"

"No…!" I was aghast, I didn't want to believe it.

"Look, she still doesn't know yours, you can escape and-"

"I won't leave Luka behind!" I stated, quite fiercely.

"She'll kill you both!"

"Maybe not," I offered, "maybe she is not as power-hungry as you think. IA, she fell in love with you, no? And she has never tried to steal your element, has she?"

"No, but Miku, wind would be of little significance to her, our kind of people have only been messengers at best. Besides, wind users are near impossible to catch, once you get into the wind, you could be pretty much anywhere, and no, before you ask, you can't trap me inside a vacuum cleaner."

I stared at her unbelievingly.

"You wouldn't believe how often I get that asked" she explained.

Waking from a mental numbness with a shake of my head, I said. "No, I wasn't going to ask that… IA, are you sure?"

She looked at me apologetically, painfully even. "I'm so sorry."

"No…No! Is there nothing I can do?! I will _not _abandon my love." I expressed, a hollow consuming the joy I had been feeling before. "Can I not save us?" I quietly said, tears threatening my intended display of valor.

"Is there anything we can do?" staring intently at IA, Leon, who I had forgotten was there, asked. "Can they not turn into their elements? Like you, with wind?"

"Ghosts?!" Exclaimed IA, upon realizing both Leon and Avanna's presence.

"Yes, good eye Miss." Said Avanna. "But please, answer, is it not possible?"

I raised my head and stared at IA, silently begging for a positive answer. She quivered under our collected gazes and nervously answered. "Y-yes, it could be possible, but one usually needs to train a lot for that, for years even."

"But…! But Luka managed it somehow, under a strong emotion, using a cheat like you had said. We can do that, no?" I pleaded, clinging to any chance I could have.

IA stared at me, reading my determination, and quickly composed herself, realizing I had set my mind into taking any opportunity. "Yes. You will need to put all the emotion you can muster into it though, like an unbelievable amount of sentiment, as if your very soul was shattering. Get frightened, get angry, love each other, cry, whatever, do anything you can, and concentrate into becoming one with your element. Both of you, you understand?"

"Yes." I stated, solemnly. IA nodding in accordance.

We both started as we heard the doorbell ring three times. Yukari was here. We stood frozen, unsure of what to do next, while the doorbell rang again, and again, as we kept ignoring it. Its insistence terrifying me, I looked back at IA worriedly. Suddenly the ringing stopped, waking us both from shock.

"It is your only chance." IA hurriedly explained. "I…I can buy you some time, but it is entirely up to you and Luka."

"We'll help too Miss Miku." Declared Leon, Avanna nodding in agreement.

"Very well," said IA, "run, now."

"And run where may I ask? Or more importantly, why?" A dry voice asked, chilling me to the very core. Yukari was there, standing on the kitchen's threshold, wearing a dull expression, and in the company of a tall, very enraged looking, male figure behind her, who I recognized to be the gardener I had talked to so many days ago. "How very impolite of you Miku, keeping me waiting at the entrance when I came here so kindly, to help you. Fortunately, this gentleman here trespassed the door and opened it for me."

None of us made any move, petrified at her presence. She looked around sharply, quickly assessing the situation. "Oh." She merely said, upon returning her gaze to IA.

IA made no answer, instead she rapidly turned into a powerful flurry that rushed towards Yukari as if to shove her away. I took this as my cue to run.

"Halt now you despicable thing! The witch told me everything, it is _you_ who keeps _my_ precious Luka trapped here!" exclaimed the gardener, as I found myself face to face with him upon turning around. He quickly extended his claw-like hands towards my neck and captured me in a very strong chokehold, his face coming close to mine as he did so, eyes and mouth transforming with a buzzing hum into dark, elongated hollows that would have made me scream in terror, had I been capable of doing so.

"Megurine!" roared Leon, quickly trespassing my body to place himself in front of the man, forcefully pushing him away from me. A ghastly chill had afflicted me as he did so, but I quickly regained my footing, watching Leon and my attacker fight in a terrifying mix of discordant sounds and flashes of spectral luminosity I did not quite comprehend.

The sound of scorching fire from behind woke me from the horrified stupor, finding Yukari blasting fire all around her body in a spherical form, stopping the wind with such process. The moment she stopped, another gust hastened towards her, she repeating her previous action effortlessly and visibly vexed.

"Are we going to fight over this IA?" She asked, lowly. Then she turned towards me. "Now you-" She stopped in her tracks, her body tensing and her head throwing back, as an earsplitting, shrill sound came out of her mouth. Then I saw how Avanna was pushed out of her, quickly and powerfully, several metres away. Yukari growled irritably and started walking towards me "Ghosts! I swear…"

Waking up from shock, I forced my legs to run, another gust of wind striking Yukari as I did so, she responding accordingly and starting to chase me. I knew it was unwise to run straight into the garden as the situation was, it would have only led her towards Luka, so I had to lure her out someplace in which I could deter her for just long enough to escape and rush to my love's side. IA tried to help me as best as she could, understandably without actually hurting Yukari, but her single trick quickly lost effectiveness as Yukari knew how to anticipate and counter her lover's feeble efforts.

Looking at a wall clock as I ran through the living room, and idea struck me and I started running towards the far-end room where I had learned the terrible fate of this house's ghastly inhabitants, Yukari chasing me in tow. Purposely leaving the lights off, I pulled the clock's handle as I had done last time and pushed it to a side, quickly scurrying inside as Yukari started catching up with me. The smell of burnt objects and the memory of charred bones inspired fright and disgust in me, but I knew better than to start wailing at the moment, so ducking down and feeling my surroundings with my bare hands, I found and chose to hide behind the remnants of a burnt couch.

I heard my huntress enter the dark room, stopping somewhere around the middle as she could not discern where her prey had hidden. "Really? A dark, closed room? You didn't think this through did you?" She sneered, walking around lightly, listening for any sound I'd make.

Minding my movements, and ignoring what my hands could feel as I moved them along the floor, I strained my memory to recall the way through which I had entered the room. Slowly, fearfully, I crawled towards where I thought I could get out unnoticed, throwing around in opposite directions small objects I'd find, which I tried not to consider as burnt bone remnants, whenever I'd sense her get close to me, diverting her attention towards the sounds.

"You know, I didn't want to make this hard on you," she said, "I am not a bad person, I am only fulfilling a duty you know? Although I won't ask you to understand, I know you can't."

I softly started moving towards the clock's opening once I was more or less certain of my position in the room.

"But I knew something was wrong the moment you were not opening the door, luckily enough, after talking to that old ghost by the yard, I was able to easily deceive his broken, mad heart." She calmly explained. "But seriously, I was going to pretend to cast some spell to free her, then make you believe it failed. That would have been much easier for both of us…" she continued.

I felt the entrance's border with my hand, and started to exit slowly.

"But now it isn't easy anymore is it?" She sighed. "I am so sorry… But games are over now."

She flared up a bright flame in her hand, instantly lighting the room, but turning around too late as she could only catch a glimpse of me pushing the clock back into its place, locking the handle in place again. Wind pushed strongly against the clock as Yukari started pushing it from inside, and I, thanking IA, sprinted towards the garden.

I was not half-way there when I heard a loud blast come from the room I had just left, making me panic and strain my legs to run faster. I almost sighed in relief as I reached the garden's entrance, thinking it would take my chaser some time to figure out where I'd hide next, as she would think me still inside the house, but the speedy passing of a big, black ball of energy right next to me made me freeze.

"You don't know how annoying this is…" said Yukari angrily, as I turned around to face her.

Desperation clouding my mind, I could not think of any way out anymore. I seemed to have no options left, none but one.

"Stop! Take mine instead!" I screamed.

"Take your what, little rascal?" She asked, as she kept approaching.

"My element!" I exclaimed. "You want a living element no? Immortality yes? So take mine! I have butterflies as an element, they are living, and even move, wouldn't you rather have that?"

She stopped and scrutinized my panic stricken features. "Don't jest with me."

"I'm serious! Just do it and see, but please, leave Luka alone." I begged.

Yukari stared at me pensively for a few seconds, then started laughing bitterly. "Oh I'll take yours then."

"Yes…that is all you need" I quietly replied, my heart breaking as I readied myself for depersonalization and oblivion.

"And I'll take Luka's too."

My eyes widened in horror. "No! You don't need both!"

"I do. Besides, I think I'd be doing both of you a favor, if you really love each other so much." She replied, approaching again, a hand held up towards me, glowing with a menacing silvery color.

"No!" I screamed as her hand came nearer.

I saw nothing but a blinding blue light, heard nothing but a light hum as I panicked, then nothing but my own agitated breathing.

"Oh for fucks sake!" I heard Yukari growl. As I opened my eyes, I saw before me a great, glowing, royal-blue cage figure enclosing her. Looking at mystifying, rune-resembling markings upon the bright, azure bars, I figured a magic seal of some sort had encased her.

"Someone really cared about you huh?" She bitterly remarked. "Even sacrificed themselves for you. Don't look so shocked, this is just a bunch of concentrated magical energy, shaped like a jail to trap anyone who attacks you. A protection spell if you will, and for the looks of it, someone forsook almost their entire essence just to create it."

I stared at the structure admiringly, unsure of how it had appeared. Then looking at the thing's color, I remembered and gasped sharply. "Mother…"

"There you go, that's who." She commented, boringly and weakly punching the bars. I couldn't believe what I now understood to be the sacrifice my mother had truly made for me, and thanking her from the very bottom of my heart, I relaxed confidently and disposed to run towards my beloved and finish the plan I had in mind.

"Unfortunately," said Yukari, interrupting my steps, "these things only work once. And believe me, hard as it may be, this is not by any means unbreakable."

I turned around worriedly to stare at her, eyeing the bars with doubt. She just returned my gaze and summoned up another black ball over her palm, powerfully slamming it against a bar as soon as it turned big enough. I shook in extreme fright and dashed towards the garden right away.

Rushing inside, I found Luka standing around the usual spot, quickly worrying as she saw me haste towards her apprehensively.

"Miku, what's wrong?" She asked.

"We have to turn into our elements. _Now." _I quickly expressed.

"What?" She shook her head confusedly. "What do you mean?"

I held her shoulders firmly. "Luka, I messed up. Oh I am so sorry! I called friend someone I should have regarded as an enemy. We are in danger, she'll want to kill us, no, completely destroy our very essence, she wants to steal our power. And she is here, we don't have much time, we must escape, we must fuse with flowers and butterflies, you understand?"

She stared at me, processing the information as fast as she could, but partially failing. "How?"

"Remember the letter? The one my mother gave me? She talked about power-hungry mages remember?"

Her eyes widened as soon as she did. "What do we do?" She asked, visibly distressed.

"We have to merge with our elements, we must Luka, it is our only choice."

"But I don't know how!"

"Neither do I. But I did tell you what IA explained, did I not?"

"Wha-… Cheating?" She hesitantly offered, finally following the same train of thought as me.

"Yes! Now, come on, let's do this."

I saw her nod dubiously and approach me. We stared at each other for a second, unsure of what to do. "Luka, you have done this before. We need to pour all our souls into it. Let anything flow, as powerfully as possible. I am scared, let's be scared, let's wish for freedom and safety, let's… let's…" I expressed, looking around wildly, picking up the knife I had left abandoned in the garden during my last visit.

I cleaned the dirt off from it on my dress and quickly slashed it across one of my palms, yelping in pain as I did so.

"What are you doing?! Ahh!" Screamed Luka, as I grabbed her own hand and did the same thing over her palm.

"I don't know, whatever I can!" I explained. "Let's join our hands!"

She hesitantly did so and stared into my eyes, wincing in pain and fright. I stared into her sky-blue eyes, remembering I had to let my very soul shatter with emotion. "Focus into joining the flowers, I'll do the same. Let it flow, powerfully, give it intention." I whispered while she nodded.

Nodding back at her, I stared deeply into her eyes, concentrating on everything I felt and the goal I had. I felt fear, I felt pain, I felt determination, there was only one thing left to feel now. Locking my other non-bleeding hand behind her neck, I pulled her into a passionate kiss. She responded ardently, and held me close with an arm around my waist. It was a tad desperate, but one of the most loving kisses we had shared, I felt all my love for her flow through my entire being, together with the other emotions affecting us.

A loud cracking sound made us both start, and I felt every emotion increase tenfold as I realized Yukari was most definitely breaking away from her neon-blue prison, but I pulled Luka closer, not letting her break away from our kiss. I concentrated on my wish, knowing Luka would do the same, the sound of glass shattering from behind. Several minutes must have passed, until losing myself into it, forgetting everything else, straining to let wild emotions flare up, I could feel it, like a feeble breeze, I felt myself turn lighter, and as I forgot about my own individual humanity, I sensed a flutter of wings coming up and from my feet, discerning how the enchantment was working. Delighting in this, opening my eyes to look at my darling triumphantly, I found Luka gazing at me too, surrounded by a white and pink, pale gale.

This was it, giving up reason completely, we let the spell envelop us. We separated our lips slowly and smiled at each other affectionately, knowing we had made it, nothing would stop us anymore, we could freely go now, anywhere, anytime, nothing else mattered. The sacrifice my mother had made truly saved us, and while my other loved ones would probably see me no more, this was what I had been born for. A final booming sound indicated Yukari had broken free, but by the time she arrived, she found nothing but a flurry of white petals and blue butterflies to greet her.

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><p><strong>There you have it, c'est finie. I sincerely thank you all for following this story, and I hope you enjoyed it. I'll be uploading an epilogue later. Cheers~<strong>


	13. Epilogue

The figure of a slender teenage girl was discernable under the rosy light of a spring sunset, pollen and orphan rose petals flew in small whirlwinds around the colorful and gentle garden. Her straight, black hair swayed every time a light playful breeze blew around her. She watched a small boy run around playfully, chasing butterflies and running away from them as if they were playing tag, playing out a clumsy, charming dance. A smile came to her lips as memories of her childhood came back to her, this was the place in which she found herself absolutely certain about her artistic passions, where she learned she could convey emotion and unspoken nothings to people through art, how many years had passed since then? Seven at the very least, but it was not until now that she felt a warm sensation again, the house had been so sorrowful for so long.

She closed her eyes for a moment and laid down on the grass, enjoying the charm of the place and moment. _"Where did you go…?" _She thought, opening her eyes to appreciate the now orangey hues in the sky.

"Yuki, Yuki!" called the boy, approaching her with a clumsy trot.

"Yes? Want to play something?" she said, rising up, smiling and petting the boy's head.

"Look!" Exclaimed the boy, holding out some sort of hardcover, sewn, black notebook.

"Hmm, what's this?" she inquired, gently taking the object and opening it. "A journal…?"

"A what?" asked the kid, confused.

She started reading a random page, finding the writing strangely familiar. She gasped as she recognized a familiar name. "Mikuo, where did you find this?" She asked, turning to the child.

"A pretty lady gave it to me!" Beamed Mikuo. "She said I should give it to you."

"A pretty lady…" whispered Yuki, her mouth hanging open a she remembered those words. She ran her eyes through the pages again, finding what she was sure to be her missing cousin's handwriting, unbelievable things were written there, almost as if what she had in her hands was fantastic narration of some sort. Running her fingers through the paper and turning the pages, a large napkin, freshly inked with words, fell to her lap. She picked it up and read in the same calligraphy:

_"__Hello Yuki, _

_How are you doing? You have grown quite a lot, haven't you? I can already tell you are becoming an outstanding ballerina, I only wished we could see your happy dance again. This little boy, Mikuo, he is my brother isn't he? How he resembles mother! But you know, personality-wise I think he reminds me of you, albeit a little bit wilder, but I suppose that's normal for a boy. He is always playing around, and visits often, I like him very much… I am very sorry for having left so randomly, and I don't think I can quite explain everything that led me to that decision, so I give you this, a diary I had kept up until the day I found the life I was truly supposed to live. I don't think anyone else will believe it, but I know you'll remember, won't you?_

_I am very happy, we are very happy. You will agree with me, when you read that journal, that this is what I was born for. After all that happened, I had time to think, and I realized everything was just as it should have been, and I'm thankful for that. Even for those who tried to hurt us, I hold no grudge against them, everyone has their own story after all. It is interesting, I don't think anyone is genuinely bad, I could even swear I saw my chaser sigh in relief when she couldn't catch us anymore, and the doctor, well, he was just hurt._

_I hope you are all doing fine, I certainly am, I really cannot explain the freedom and beauty this life has given us, it is surprisingly easy to travel, to feel, to live, to love. Take good care of my brother, I know he is fond of you, and take care of my mother too, although I sometimes imagine she can tell what happened._

_I hope you find something important in what I sent you, for I certainly learned a lot during the time in which I wrote that, and I send you my best wishes. _

_Sending her love,_

_You dear cousin Miku._

_P.S. If you could get a mechanic gadget charger and leave it around the garden, I'd be super thankful._

The girl stared at the words amazed, but not unbelievingly, she did remember. The boy stared at her with a curious gaze. "What does it say?" he asked.

She looked at him and chuckled, ruffling his hair. "It just says that the pretty lady is very happy"

"Ah that's good!"

"Yeah!" she replied, then smiled looking at the very same spot in which she had danced so many years ago. "Say Mikuo… would you like to learn a happy dance?"

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><p><strong>That's it, I hope you enjoyed the story c:<strong>


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